This NFL offseason, the Seattle Seahawks roster has undergone some changes. The franchise brought in defensive end Dre’Mont Jones in NFL free agency, locked up quarterback Geno Smith, and lost a few players, like running back Rashaad Penny. Overall, it’s been a good few months for the Seahawks, but after a week of free agency and the 2023 NFL Draft rapidly approaching, the team still has some needs to address, specifically along the offensive line.
The biggest Seahawks’ roster need after a week of NFL free agency is the interior offensive line
Outside of re-signing Geno Smith, head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider mostly focused on the defensive side of the Seahawks roster in NFL free agency. Former Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers defensive ends Dre’Mont Jones, and Jarran Reed came in as did former New York Giants safety Julian Love and former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Devin Bush.
On offense, the Seahawks roster doesn’t have a ton of urgent needs this NFL offseason. Smith is now the starting QB again, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are catching passes, Kenneth Walker III will run the ball, and starting second-year tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas should hold down their respective positions for the better part of the next decade.
That leaves the interior of the offensive line as the team’s biggest problem after the first week of NFL free agency. Last season’s starters at right guard and center, Gabe Jackson and Austin Blythe were two of the worst every-game O-linemen in the league.
Blythe retired after the season, and Jackson remains unsigned in NFL free agency.
Seattle did address the guard position this NFL offseason, signing former Detroit Lions guard Evan Brown to go with last season’s left guard, Damien Lewis. However, the team has precious little depth on the Seahawks roster behind those two, and currently, the only center on the team is Joey Hunt, who spent last season on the Seahawks practice squad.
The team needs to add more interior offensive linemen to the Seahawks roster in NFL free agency and the NFL draft.
Carroll and Schneider should first try to bring in former Tennessee Titans center Ben Jones. The 33-year-old is getting up in age and struggled with injuries last season, but he still made the Pro Bowl. Jones is a perfect veteran to pull the O-line together.
There are rumors the New York Jets are interested in Jones If New York does bring in the 11-year veteran, the Seahawks can pivot to Gang Green’s center from last season, Connor McGovern, who is still a free agent. McGovern (not to be confused with the Buffalo Bills guard with the same name) is the best center left on the market outside of Jones.
After bringing in a center from the free-agent market, the next step is to take more interior linemen in the 2023 NFL Draft, both for depth and competition.
North Dakota State lineman Cody Mauch would be an excellent fit for the Seahawks. The 6-foot-5, 302-pound North Dakota native mostly played tackle in college. However, he lined up at all five offensive line positions at the Senior Bowl and projects more as an interior lineman in the NFL anyways.
Mauch has the talent, athleticism, smarts, and a little bit of a mean streak to win a Week 1 starting job somewhere on the Seahawks line. And, worst case, he can spend his rookie year as the sixth offensive lineman, capable of filling in for an injured teammate at any position.
After Mauch is on the Seahawks' roster, addressing the interior offensive line in the NFL draft isn’t over. The team should take a true center later in the draft as well. And luckily enough, this year’s center class is pretty deep.
Centers John Michael Schmitz from Minnesota, Olusegun Oluwatimi from Michigan, Luke Wypler from Ohio State, and Ricky Stromberg from Arkansas should all be Day 2 or early Day 3 picks that Seattle can choose from.
With the way the Seahawks want to play offensive football — running Walker and giving Smith plenty of time complete high-percentage throws – the interior of the offensive line is crucial. That’s why, even after addressing it somewhat in the NFL free agency it remains the team’s biggest need heading toward the NFL draft.
If Seattle can sign a player or two in those positions in the coming weeks and draft a player or two at the end of April, the interior offensive line will go from a major liability to a strength. And that will equal wins for the Seahawks next season.
Follow Us
Subscribe