Seahawks O-line coach Tom Cable doesn’t want rookie Germain Ifedi to tone down his intensity

RENTON – With all the confrontations that rookie right guard Germain Ifedi has been involved with during the first two weeks of Seahawks training camp, a popular question in one form or another has been about whether or not the team needs to reign him in.

That question was raised anew on Thursday, a day after Ifedi’s latest dust-up, when offensive-line coach Tom Cable was asked about keeping his intensity in check. Cable’s response suggested that he’s had no issue with what he’s seen from Ifedi in that regard.

“The issue is more when he has his failures, how he handles those,” Cable said. “His intensity and the way he plays, you don’t want to change any of that. That part’s exactly where you want it. But as a typical young guy, when they have their failures, they need to learn how you learn from them rather than get all screwed up over it. That’s the part we’re working on, and that’s what you see (in) his reaction sometimes, which is good. You just want to get it settled down. You want to teach him through it, so it’s a great teaching moment for us.”

Ifedi, Seattle’s first-round pick, came from a spread offense at Texas A&M in which he wasn’t required to play from a three-point stance or fire off the ball. He has to do those things with Seattle. Cable was asked how he’s adjusted to that change of style.

“Good. I think that part’s going well,” Cable said. “… I need to see him play. He’s adapted well. Our style is different, as you said, but he seems to handle it and he’s growing each and every day. So now it’s time to go block someone that’s got a different helmet on.”

Here’s some more of what Cable said Thursday:

• Cable said veteran guard Jahri Evans will likely play in Saturday’s preseason opener at Kansas City. Evans just signed with Seattle last weekend after being at home all offseason, so he’s got a whole lot of catching up to do both physically given his long layoff and as far as getting up to speed with a blocking scheme much different than what he’s accustomed to having spent his first 10 seasons in New Orleans. Cable: “Our plan is to get him in the game and go for it. To his credit, again, he’s played enough that he can adapt. There’s some things he’s not maybe totally comfortable with yet, so we’ll stay away from that.”

• Asked where rookie third-round pick Rees Odhiambo fits along Seattle’s offensive line, Cable noted that the team is playing him at multiple spots to try to determine that. I’ve noticed Odhiambo at left guard and right tackle the last week. Cable: “Everywhere. He fits in a lot of places. That was kind of the plan when we took him. Very versatile, and he’s showing up at each spot, too, which is really cool.”

• Cable said no determination has been made about how much the starters will play Saturday.