5 Seahawks who have offered almost nothing to the team in 2021
By Lee Vowell
The entire offensive line
The Seahawks offensive line was supposed to be better this year, right? It’s worse. Much worse. Seattle averages 5.4 yards a play (20th in the NFL) and that is digressing compared to 2020 – 5.8 yards per play (12th) – and 2019 – 5.7 yards per play (11th). And I have already mentioned how Seattle is scoring fewer points this year. The offensive line bears a lot of responsibility for this.
And the bad statistics don’t end with yards-per-play and points scored. Both the run game and pass game are worse this season. In 2019, Seattle was 9th in the league with an average of 4.6 yards a carry. In 2020, Seattle was 7th at 4.8. But this year, the Seahawks are 19th at 4.2.
Seattle’s quarterbacks are actually getting sacked more this year too. In both 2019 and 2020, Seattle gave up 48 sacks, both top-ten worst in the NFL. So far in 2021, Seattle has given up 29 sacks but that is on pace to get 55 for the season. That’s awful.
The hope was entering this season that with the addition of right guard Gabe Jackson the overall line would be better. It’s been worse. Jackson is the 36th-highest-graded guard in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus. Fellow guard Damien Lewis (and Lewis has taken a big step back from his rookie performance in 2020 and was flipped to the left side this season) is the 59th-best guard.
At tackle, Duane Brown, normally a top-ten tackle, is having his worst season and is graded as the 37th-best tackle while right tackle Brandon Shell is 47th. Center Kyle Fuller (Fuller has gotten by far the most snaps at center for Seattle this year) is the 36th-best center. There are only 32 NFL teams and just one center on the field so that shows how bad Fuller has been as some backups on other teams are better than he is.