Seahawks trade for Matt Tobin: What does it mean?

The Seahawks are reeling from losing starting left tackle George Fant in the second preseason game of 2017. Seattle has now made two moves in two days to make the line better. Today the Seahawks traded for Matt Tobin.

First things first, Matt Tobin is not the answer to George Fant’s absence. The Seahawks traded a fifth-round pick in 2018 to the Philadelphia Eagles for Tobin and a seventh-round draft choice. Tobin is not, however, a left tackle.

Tobin has made 21 starts over the last four years. This includes starting 13 games in 2015. Of those 21 starts, 20 of them have been at guard. He did play left tackle and left guard in college at Iowa, however. Still, college was a long time ago.

Possibly, the Seahawks are thinking of Tobin in terms of being a backup at tackle and guard. Or they want to see what he can do at left guard and Luke Joeckel will move out to left tackle. Another issue is that Tobin has mostly been a right guard in his pro career. Right guard does not seem to be a position of need for Seattle as the team has Mark Glowinski and Oday Aboushi battling for that spot.

So, the last two days Seattle has traded for Tobin and signed Tyrus Thompson. Neither player addresses the Seahawks biggest need of left tackle.

Coach Pete Carroll started his Q&A with reporters on Monday talking about the line issues.

In Monday’s practice, Rees Odhiambo was getting most of the reps at left tackle. Odhiambo had a poor second half on Friday against the Minnesota Vikings at LT. Ethan Pocic might also get a shot at starting there. In fact, Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune says he wouldn’t rule out Pocic being the starter week one.

Related Story: Introducing Tyrus Thompson, the Seahawks new lineman

The answer to losing Fant could still come from outside the organization. Branden Albert is a free agent, though he had a poor year last season. A trade for the Cleveland Browns’ Joe Thomas seems off the table. But imagine Thomas in Seattle. The line would be immediately greatly improved.

No matter what, the continuity that the Seahawks were hoping for in 2017, and that every line needs, seems gone.