Clayton: Seahawks trying to avoid another juggling act on offensive line

Just when you thought continuity was settling in on the Seahawks offensive line, George Fant blows out his ACL.

You could tell in offensive line coach Tom Cable’s voice Tuesday that he’s trying to not start a position juggling act a couple weeks before the start of the regular season. And were it not for the Fant injury, Cable might have had a set lineup of starters.

Last week, Cable named Fant the left tackle and Luke Joeckel the left guard, leaving some open competition along the right side even though Mark Glowinski and Germain Ifedi were considered the favorites.

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Everyone knows the importance of the offensive line. Like last year, the offensive line could be the difference of the Seahawks just being a playoff team or being able to go to the Super Bowl. So for now, Cable is taking the path of least resistance.

“My wish, my want is to try and keep as much of it intact as possible,” Cable said. “So, if anyone’s saying ‘Why don’t they move Joeckel out there?’ – well, remember last year. You go back 12 months and I think there was too much of that. Nothing really we could handle then, it just had to be that way. But this year we have choices. We have the opportunity to keep as much of it intact as we can. We will do that going forward.”

Cable and Pete Carroll and most likely the rest of the team have to hope that having Rees Odhiambo at left tackle and Joeckel at left guard can work. If it doesn’t, the entire roster could be in jeopardy of major change.

The Seahawks acquired Matt Tobin as a blocking option Monday for a fifth-round pick in 2018, also receiving a seventh-rounder from the Philadelphia Eagles to complete the deal. Tobin isn’t the answer to the loss of Fant, but he’s another option.

Tobin is a solid pro who can be versatile. He’s started 21 games but none at tackle even though he’s versatile enough to play the position. Those who know Cable think Tobin fits the profile of an offensive lineman who played under Cable both in Seattle and Oakland: Paul McQuistan. If needed, Tobin could be tried at tackle.

Cable and the Seahawks know the stakes of getting it right on the offensive line. That’s why these next three weeks could be fluid. If Odhiambo doesn’t work out, Cable might have to try Joeckel at left tackle and open up the left guard spot. For what it’s worth, he really likes Joeckel at left guard.

“I don’t know if there’s anyone like him (at guard), and it’s a cool thing to plug a person in who can be one-on-one as dominant in both run and pass, and he’s showed it both times out (in the preseason games),” Cable said.

Don’t rule out the possibility of the Seahawks going after a high-priced tackle in a trade. Two options would be two current holdouts: Duane Brown of the Houston Texans and Donald Penn of the Oakland Raiders. It’s unlikely those teams could trade them but the market for left tackles is tight. Ryan Clady and Brandon Albert retired and several other left tackles are injured.

Here’s the problem. If the Seahawks pick up an $8 million tackle, they would have to move some veterans – such as Jeremy Lane, Jermaine Kearse and Ahtyba Rubin – to fit a high-priced tackle under the salary cap. Getting Tobin was a fit financially as he’s only making $850,000.

For now, Cable is trying to keep things together as best he can.

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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