Here is a look at each player on the Seahawks' offensive line as the team enters the second week of OTAs.
Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable met the media after the team’s OTA on Thursday, giving an overall progress report on what figures to be the most-heavily scrutinized position group on the team this season.
Along the way, Cable also provided some updates on specific players.
All of which serves as a good time to update each player on the offensive line as the team passes the midway point of OTAs (Wednesday’s was the fifth of nine) with comments from Cable when applicable.
LT Garry Gilliam: The third-year player, who began his career with the Seahawks in 2014 as an undrafted free agent, is making the move from right tackle to left tackle, where he is projected to be the starter. However, Gilliam is sidelined at the moment after having a cyst removed on his knee last week. Coach Pete Carroll said last week, though, that Gilliam should be fine by training camp. Asked Wednesday why he thinks Gilliam can succeed at left tackle, Cable said: “The athlete. There’s no question about the athlete. When you look at Garry’s transition from where he came as a tight end to being around making the team, and then moving to right tackle last year—from about Week 5 on, he really played well. So you have a good athlete, you have a smart guy who has been in it now, who’s experienced, and I think his confidence is good enough to play over there, so I’m pretty excited for him.”
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LG Mark Glowinski: The second-year player from West Virginia got one start at RG last year at Arizona but is being moved to the left side to compete with Rees Odhiambo to take an opening created when Justin Britt was moved to center. Glowinski would likely be the starter if the season began today though it has appeared he and Odhiambo have basically shared time at the spot in the OTAs open to the media. Asked if Glowinski has had any problem moving from the right side to the left, Cable said “No issues, no issues.’’
C Justin Britt: Britt is making a well-publicized move from left guard to center, and what is now his third position in three seasons. Asked the reason for the move, Cable said: “I think like anything, you just want to find the best five—where are they, who are they? We’ve messed around with it kind of as a backup thought in the past, so now it creates more competition there. Again, it’s just getting everybody ready for camp.” Asked what traits make Britt a good potential center, he said: “Smart, tough, gets it, good communicator, all those good things.” And asked how Britt is handling the communication needed to play center — specifically, making the line calls pre-snap — he said: “I think good thus far. Again, to put a whole lot into OTA other than you’re teaching them your system, getting them ready for camp, beyond that, we’re not doing anything.”
RG Germain Ifedi: The first-round pick has so far made a quick impression in the best way he really can right now given the no-contact limitations of OTAs — by quickly picking up the playbook. In an answer to a question about both Ifedi and Odhiambo, Cable said: “Both of them have picked it up well. I think Germain is really blessed that way, mentally. For example, we actually had him doing install last week, and he did a tremendous job in only the first week of doing it. Good brains by both of them, and they both work, they both want to be really, really, good. So it’s a pretty exciting future for both of them I think.” Cable said it’s the first time a rookie has been able to do that in the first week of an OTA. While Ifedi played tackle his last two years at Texas A&M, Cable said his immediate future remains at guard. “I definitely think at some point in time that (playing tackle) will come. But right now it looks fantastic doing what we are asking him to do.’’
RT J’Marcus Webb: Webb remains sidelined with what Cable said was “a pretty severe calf stain’’ suffered apparently before the off-season program began. Cable said the hope is he could be back next week. Given that he’s been in the NFL since 2010, Webb may not necessarily need the physical work right now. Still, as a new piece of the puzzle they’d obviously have rather he be out there.
RT Terry Poole: With Webb out, second-year vet Poole is getting significant work at right tackle. The team lists him at 300 pounds, down from 323 of a year ago. And the difference is noticeable according to coaches. “I definitely think he has grown that way,’’ Cable said. “I think he takes much better care of his body, and his preparation, which shows in how he looks and how he’s moving, is night and day from last year. So that’s a big move from him.”
LT Bradley Sowell: With Gilliam out, Sowell is getting significant reps at left tackle. He started there in 2013 with Arizona before being used as a reserve the last two seasons. That the Seahawks sound so high on him as raised some eyebrows given his status as a backup the last two seasons. But Cable said Wednesday the Seahawks view his athleticism as a better fit for what Seattle does than he was asked in Arizona. “Different style of play,’’ Cable said. “We’re more of the athletic linemen, movers; they’re more kind of a downhill, 12 and 13 play we call it, so this allows him to express the athlete that he is … Really the athlete that showed up on film in his time in Arizona shows up. He’s got some toughness about him. His veteran mindset of understanding what he’s asked to do and how to do it shows up. He’s a cool addition.”
C Patrick Lewis: Britt usually goes first in the reps but Cable says Lewis, a starter in nine games last season, is still right in the mix. Cable said the move of Britt wasn’t a reflection on Lewis but just increasing competition everywhere. “We want to put Patrick in a competitive situation with Joey [Hunt] and Justin and let the three of them kind of duke it out,’’ Cable said. “You kind of know what they’ve done, but every year is a new year, and some guys get better, some guys drop off, so we just want to create the best group we possibly can.’’
C Joey Hunt: The rookie sixth-round pick from TCU works behind Britt and Lewis. But Cable says he has a legitimate shot at the job, as well. Asked what he has to show at this point, Cable said: “Really just prove he can play in the NFL. He does a fantastic job of calling the box. He really needs no help from anybody. You can tell he is well-versed and has enough background to plug into an NFL system.’’
C/G Kristjan Sokoli: A sixth-round pick last year who the team converted from defensive tackle, Sokoli is playing both guard and center right now. And while he maybe hasn’t been talked about as much as some of the others, Cable sounded high on him Wednesday when asked. “He’s another guy who has taken a big jump forward,’’ Cable said. “He’s a guy I’m really excited to get to camp and just see how far he’s come. But he played center (Tuesday) and was fantastic and has played guard a bunch. He’s on it. So it’s good.’’
LT George Fant: The undrafted rookie from Western Kentucky has been backing up Sowell at left tackle with Gilliam out.
G Will Pericak: Pericak, who spent all of last season on the practice squad, has experiuence just about everywhere — he’s listed officially as a center. But his position in OTAs has typically been right guard.
RT Kona Schwenke: A former DL at Notre Dame, Schwenke spent last season on Injured Reserve.Listed as a guard, he’s been playing primarly right tackle in OTAs.
OT: Lene Maiava: The undrafted free agent from Arizona has been a backup at tackle in OTAs.