Seahawks 2018 outlook: Can the offensive line be better?

The Seahawks offensive line was not good again in 2017. More frustratingly, it was maddeningly inconsistent. Seattle made some changes that might actually help next year, though.

The Seahawks have an offensive line. I promise they do. At times, Seattle’s line isn’t really even that bad. 2017, though, was a bit of a weird year for the unit. They pass-blocked better than they run-blocked which doesn’t usually mean good things for a team that would really rather run the ball.

Maybe offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell isn’t that bad, after all. Possibly he just knows the limitations of his offense and that in turn limits his play-calling? (I joke, of course.)

But Seattle could actually be better in 2018 along the line. Every offensive line needs time to build cohesion. No other part of a football team needs to work in sync as much as an o-line does. The Seahawks added left tackle Duane Brown mid-year and he was good. But he hadn’t worked with Seattle’s unit before. And Justin Britt and company hadn’t worked with him.

Besides adding Brown as a different piece, Seattle also had to move other parts around all year. Luke Joeckel started at left guard but then missed a chunk of the season after needing his injured knee scoped. Ethan Pocic replaced Joeckel and did decently enough for a rookie guard who was mostly a center in college. Right guard was played by Oday Aboushi and sometimes by Mark Glowinski. Glowinski was waived late in the year after Aboushi had outplayed him.

But then Aboushi got hurt, too, and Pocic had to move to right guard. Then Pocic got hurt. In other words, it was another fun and unpredictable year for Seattle.

2018

Here’s where the hope is. Brown is under contract for another year. Justin Britt had a solid 2017 and could be better next season. Pocic will have an entire offseason of weight work. The injury Pocic suffered against the Arizona Cardinals in week 17 was not serious enough to need surgery. Germain Ifedi might stop collecting a plethora of penalties (maybe) and has great strength.

The real question is left guard. Rees Odhiambo will return to his natural position and from injury in 2018. Odhiambo had to fill in at left tackle when George Fant was injured in preseason. Odhiambo was out of place and not good. He could be solid at guard.

Or possibly Jordan Roos has a great offseason and plays left guard moving forward.

So maybe I am being overly optimistic. Ifedi has to be better because he was bad this year. Brown has to stay healthy. Britt was better in 2016 than 2017. Pocic needs to show he can be strong enough to play right guard (or left guard) and that his technique is better and he is less upright. And someone good has to be the answer at left guard.

But all these things could also happen. And 2018 could be better. Please.

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