Seahawks’ Tom Cable says extra bulk on O-line product of a cycle
Jun 2, 2016, 11:58 AM | Updated: 12:08 pm
Seahawks assistant coach Tom Cable is reportedly in the running for the 49ers head coaching job. (AP)
(AP)
When it comes to the strongest player on the Seahawks’ revamped offensive line, coach Tom Cable doesn’t hesitate.
“The strongest guy I have is (Mark) Glowinski,” Cable told “Brock and Salk” Thursday. “He can lift a building.”
Glowinski is far from the only player with great strength on the line, though. Cable, who is entering his sixth season as offensive line coach, is leading a powerful and bulky group that includes three newcomers who weigh at least 315 pounds.
Video: Tom Cable after Wednesday’s Seahawks OTA
The headliners of that group are first-round draft pick Germain Ifedi (325 pounds), third-rounder Rees Odhiambo (315) and free-agent addition J’Marcus Webb (331). Cable said both draft picks land in the top five strongest on the team, behind Glowinski and Justin Britt, who Cable has moved to center this offseason.
Last year’s departures from the O-line – tackle Russell Okung (310), guard J.R. Sweezy (298) and center Drew Nowak (300) – were physically smaller, but Cable says the extra girth in the trenches for 2016 is not purposeful, just a part of the cyclical nature of finding the right personality type and athleticism that fits the system.
“Right now it just happens to be these big, powerful goons. And that’s cool,” he said. “Some years it’s not like that. Some years you’re OK with that 306-, 308-pound guy because that’s the strongest kid out there and that’s all the bigger he is. This happens to be one of the years when they are 316, 323, and 331 and they can really move.”
Other highlights from the conversation:
On Pro Football Focus’ calling Ifedi the worst first-round pick in the draft: “You watch him and see what you think then … People don’t have to be accountable, they can say or think what they want, and that’s OK. But what they really don’t realize is how they could screw up a young person, because all these kids read all the Twitter and social media. One minute they’re loved and the next minute they can’t do this or they can’t do that, it was a bad pick, or whatever. Fortunately … Germain is a strong-minded, strong-willed kid … So I just think watching him play, it will be kind of cool, whoever they are, they’ll kind of eat their words.”
On his ideal offensive lineman: “It’s who’s got the mental capacity to execute under duress. It starts with that. Physically, who is big enough, powerful enough to win in one-on-one battles. And the third thing is their health history. Have they been healthy, have they been able to overcome any minor injuries and keep playing? The really good ones, the ones I really envision to knock it out of the park, as you’d say, would have those three traits.”
On how evaluation of players has changed: “It’s OK to be disrespectful, it’s OK to do whatever you want to and say whatever you want to because no one is held responsible. So you’ve got to look for those kids who have kind of been forced to toe the line, if you will. To be responsible, be accountable and were raised that way. No means no. And you’ve got to to dig until you do find those guys because if you don’t you can get yourself in a bad spot.”
On players liking “the grind” and “the hurt”: “If they are OK with that, then those are the guys that really have that ingredient of grit that we’re looking for. And they will persevere when it gets hard, will be accepting of failures; they will understand that failure is actually a learning opportunity. Add they won’t go in the tank on you because some internet company says they suck, or whatever that is. They’ll look by that and through that and say, ‘Well, that is just their opinion and this is who I am and what I do.’”
On how he judges linemen compared to others: “Are we looking for something different? I guess we are. We’re looking for Seahawks. We’re not looking for Ravens or Patriots or 49ers … We are looking for guys who can play our way, our style, our philosophy and are passionate about it.”
