JOHN CLAYTON

One way or another, Russell Wilson, Seahawks need O-line to improve

Oct 26, 2016, 10:49 AM | Updated: 11:05 am

With his mobility compromised, Russell Wilson hasn't been able to escape pressure like usual. (AP)...

With his mobility compromised, Russell Wilson hasn't been able to escape pressure like usual. (AP)

(AP)

The simple solution to the Seahawks’ left tackle problem is a trade. But simple isn’t so simple.

If you are the Seahawks, the thought of trading for Cleveland’s Joe Thomas or San Francisco’s or Joe Staley should be on their minds until next Tuesday’s trade deadline passes. At 4-1-1 in a wide open NFC, the Seahawks have a great chance of securing a No. 1 or No. 2.

They have a one-and-a-half-game lead in the NFC West. Their defense is playing as well if not better than the 2013 Super Bowl team. Seattle looks like a Super Bowl contender again except for its offensive line. Bradley Sowell is out for a couple of weeks with an MCL injury, and he really wasn’t the answer at left tackle when he was healthy. Everything I hear is that undrafted rookie George Fant is going to be the starter.

If quarterback Russell Wilson were healthy, I could understand passing on a trade for a Pro Bowl-caliber left tackle. Wilson’s mobility and scrambling ability can turn a bad play into a big play. But Wilson can’t run well right now. He’s averaging 1.5 yards a carry while playing with a high-ankle sprain and an MCL sprain.

Those injuries are game-changers. He can’t run read-options that make him such a threat. He might have to wait until the playoffs to get a week off, but for that to happen, the Seahawks would need to be a No. 1 or No. 2 seed to get a bye.

While the future is bright for Seattle’s offensive line and the young players Tom Cable is coaching up, the urgency is now. For Wilson to get the most out of this offense with his limitations, he needs more help. He needs more rushing and fewer penalties.

Wilson can’t be asked to convert first-and-20s that are as a result of holding penalties. The Seahawks’ offensive line has 11 holding penalties in six games. Sowell has four of them.

Field position has been a problem for Seattle’s offense. In 72 offensive possessions this season, 25 have started inside the Seahawks’ 20-yard line. Only the Texans have more with 26. Wilson has only been able to convert four of those drives into scores, two for touchdowns and two for field goals.

The penalties on the offensive line cause more problems. The Seahawks have faced first-and-11 or longer on 11 plays this year, and Wilson averages about 3 yards a play in those situations. That has set up 29 plays of second-and-11 or longer. He’s been left with third-and-6 or longer 39 times.

That’s a lot to ask of a quarterback who is doing his absolute best with his lack of mobility.

STATS does a pass-protection rating for NFL offensive lines. It has eight categories, including holding calls, sacks allowed, false starts, knockdowns and hurries. The Seahawks have the fifth-worst rating at 47.1, mainly because of the holding and false-start penalties and 86 combined knockdowns and hurries.

Wilson is playing like an MVP. But he needs more protection on the blindside and a solidified offensive line.

Want more John Clayton? Listen on-demand to his weekday and Saturday shows as well as his “Cold Hard Facts” and “Clayton’s Morning Drive” segments on 710 ESPN Seattle. Also, check out his all-new “Schooled” podcast and look for his columns twice a week on 710Sports.com.

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One way or another, Russell Wilson, Seahawks need O-line to improve