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Grading the Seattle Seahawks’ new coaching hires

By Lee Vowell

SEATTLE, WA - OCTOBER 29: Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll looks on during the fourth quarter of the game against the Houston Texans at CenturyLink Field on October 29, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - OCTOBER 29: Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll looks on during the fourth quarter of the game against the Houston Texans at CenturyLink Field on October 29, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Offensive line

Out: Tom Cable

In: Mike Solari

NFL people seemed to really like Cable. But in Seattle, Cable’s offensive lines were usually not very good. Sometimes they were just outright terrible. The other issue is that bit about only Justin Britt getting a second contract of all the linemen Seattle has drafted since Cable came to Seattle.

And the Seahawks have drafted more offensive linemen since 2011 than any other NFL team. There are really no excuses here. Cable’s lines did not develop and underperformed.

Solari has been coaching NFL offensive lines for the last 3,398 years. Julius Caesar was once an offensive guard of his at Rome High. Or so it seems.

But Solari knows of what he does. He seems to have never wanted to do much more than be a line coach, though. And this should work well with Schottenheimer. Whatever the new offensive coordinator wants to do, the new offensive line coach has said he can adapt to.

And Solari simply has to be a better teacher than Cable. For instance, part of the issue with Germain Ifedi may be that he simply was confused on what he needed to do. Solari should be able to simplify things. This hopefully will cut back on Ifedi’s penalties and make him a much more productive player.

Did the New York Giants o-line stink the last two years with Solari as their line coach? Yes. But Solari had absolutely nothing to work with.

Grade from Cable to Solari: B+

Quarterbacks coach

Out: Carl Smith

In: Dave Canales

Not to spend much time on this position change because this one is a bit misleading. Smith was going to be 70 years old in the 2018 season and probably was looking to retire. Canales was the receivers coach and is moving to quarterbacks.

But Canales won’t really be Russell Wilson’s coach; Schottenheimer will be. Canales will just be the coach to pat Wilson on the back.

Grade from Smith to Canales: I

Related Story: Why Seahawks mock drafts are wrong so far

Of course, there will be more changes to come to the coaching staff, but not any more major changes. These are the ones that really matter.

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