Facing a line of questions | TheNewsTribune.com | Tacoma, WA
KIRKLAND – With left tackle Walter Jones likely to miss the remainder of the Seattle Seahawks’ training camp, and right tackle Sean Locklear out indefinitely with right knee tendinitis, the team’s immediate plans of realizing continuity along its offensive front have been sharply derailed.
Instead, offensive line coach Bill Laveroni has been asked to pick and choose various pieces to fill the void left by injuries.
Ray Willis, who in his third season was being asked to make the transition from tackle to guard, is back at his natural position, and Tom Ashworth has been asked to move from reserve right tackle to starting left tackle.
Kyle Williams and Jonathan Alston are playing the tackles on the second team, though Floyd Womack, in pads for the first time in camp, also got some work with the second unit.
While the Seahawks’ situation is conceivably a serious obstacle in their plans to return to prominence, Laveroni has chosen to take the propitious point of view.
“We all try to not make it a big deal,” Laveroni said. “Some people make it a big deal. But if I make it a big deal, then it is a big deal. We are used to it. We say, ‘Hey, if somebody goes down, somebody goes over and somebody goes up.’
“The players believe in each other and their abilities. That is the best part.”
That might be the case, but there is a possibility that the absences of Jones and Locklear have had an impact in other areas. Though coach Mike Holmgren won’t announce a decision until today, there is a firm chance that quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will not play in Saturday’s exhibition game at Green Bay, both to protect him and to give third-stringer David Greene more of an opportunity.
Laveroni pointed out that there inevitably will be injuries during the season, and having different players learn multiple positions only adds to the depth and flexibility of the entire unit.
“You never know what is going to happen in the season,” center Chris Spencer said. “Now, early in camp, having guys being able to move around and play different positions, you know what is going to happen if any of those guys go down. It is just helping us be deeper in our depth chart.”
However, when the Seahawks went to the Super Bowl, they had the same five players along the offensive line for the first 15 games. Last season, when the line was a source of concern and consternation, there were eight different starting lineups.
When Seattle was in San Diego this past weekend, the San Diego Union Tribune ran a lengthy story about all five offensive linemen returning for the Chargers and what that means for running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who set NFL records last season for rushing touchdowns and scoring.
But the Seahawks are choosing to acknowledge and then ignore those points, in part because they spent three training camps without Jones, who was embroiled in contract disputes only to return and record some of his best seasons.
Spencer points out that he would rather learn the idiosyncracies of teammates now rather than on the fly during the regular season. Working alongside Chris Gray and Willis, for instance, allows him to learn the footwork and techniques of the two men, which is important, Spencer says, because Willis has much longer legs than Gray.
“You get comfortable beside a guy, and you know what he is doing. It is not going to work the same way when a new guy comes in,” Spencer said. “That is why I think it’s good if they get work now.”
Willis is the one most affected because he has had to make the mental transition from tackle to guard and back, and with the latest move knows he has all but lost his opportunity at the starting position Gray now occupies.
“Basically, there are some really big changes (between tackle and guard) as far as technique goes,” Willis said, “but it also is about going out there and executing assignments and trying to be as professional as you can.”
There are other concerns. How drastically do the changes impact the other aspects of the offense? Do the running backs make different reads based on how a particular lineman blocks? Do Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace or Greene feel less confident without their starting tackles to protect them? And how long will the line take to feel comfortable once Jones and Locklear return?
“That is why it is so important for backups to be ready to play,” Laveroni said. “And it is true. It really is true. Nobody can worry about who we substitute at any position. The other guys can’t worry. You just have to operate. If you worry about that, you lose your focus on your job.”
OFFENSE
Wide Receivers
In: Deion Branch, Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, D.J. Hackett.
On the bubble: Ben Obomanu, Joe Fernandez, Jordan Kent, Chris Jones, Robert Ortiz, Logan Payne, Courtney Taylor.
Comment: The team usually keeps five, and Obomanu has the lead in the race for that spot by a healthy margin. Taylor’s injury could have him headed for IR or the practice squad. Jordan Kent also is a good candidate for the practice squad.
Offensive linemen
In: Walter Jones, Sean Locklear, Tom Ashworth, Chris Gray, Chris Spencer, Rob Sims, Ray Willis, Mansfield Wrotto.
On the bubble: Floyd Womack, Pat Ross.
Long shots: Jonathan Alston, Kyle Williams, Austin King, Jason Murphy, Steve Vallos.
Comment: Nine is the number here, and Womack has value because he can play both the guard and tackle spots. But he has been injury prone, and the team might be losing patience with him. Willis also is a swing guy, which might give the team more flexibility. Ross is a candidate for the practice squad. Keep an eye on the team possibly going out and signing a backup guard.
Facing a line of questions
Facing a line of questions
Linear Mode
