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The Seahawks offensive line will be better in 2021 and here is why

By Andy Excell

Oct 4, 2020; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) looks over the offensive line of scrimmage against the Miami Dolphins during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2020; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) looks over the offensive line of scrimmage against the Miami Dolphins during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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As we progress through free agency and in the lead-up to the NFL draft, I thought it would be a good opportunity to evaluate each department of the Seattle Seahawks 2021 roster as it stands. Let’s start with how good the offensive line might be this coming season.

I will continue breaking down the following categories in future posts:

  • QB
  • Running backs
  • Receivers, including tight ends.
  • Defensive front seven
  • Defensive secondary
  • Overall, including special teams

To do so I will refer to an independent source to assist in doing so, that being the ratings for each player given by PFF.com.

First up are for review is the offensive line. The offensive line in Seattle has been a hot topic since Russell Wilson went public with his concerns about the protection he is receiving. So Russell will not be overly delighted to see a pretty much unchanged O-line in place as we head into 2021.

Yes, Gabe Jackson has arrived via trade to replace the retired Mike Iupati at right guard and then been given a contract extension upon his arrival. But according to the PFF ratings, this is actually a slight downgrade from last season.

How good is the Seahawks roster heading into 2021?

Some important stats to put out at the beginning of this piece are:

  1. Of the 13 teams that recording ten regular season wins in 2020, 9 of them (69.2%), had a combined O-line rating of 350 or higher.
  2. Eleven of the fourteen playoff teams from last season (78.5%) had O lines rated 350 or higher.
  3. Three of the teams involved in conference championship games (75%), had O lines rated 350 or higher.
  4. Seven of the final eight in the playoffs (87.5 percent), has O-lines rating 350 or higher.

So from these statistics, the importance of a good O-line is clear, it gives you a 70 percent chance of playoff success. Without it, your chance is 30% or less.

Before going onto the individuals on the Seattle O lIne, there are some other important data points I wanted to mention.

  1. Seattle has the third-best O-line in their division.
  2. Seattle has the seventh-best O-line in the NFC.
  3. Seattle has the tenth-best O-line in the NFL.
  4. The NFC West is the only division where all four teams have O-lines rated above 350
  5. All of the above is calculated from PFF.com ratings.

So from these, the importance of a strong O-line is more important in Seattle’s division and conference than in any other section of the NFL.

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