Salk: Seahawks look to get back to their identity with Duane Brown

Just when you’re ready to declare the Seahawks a team ready to evolve into a passing-based system, they go ahead and get back to their identity.

O’Neil: Seahawks aren’t building for the future with Duane Brown

Duane Brown is a do-everything, quality NFL left tackle. This isn’t acquiring the best in the business – Joe Thomas or his equivalent – but it is a significant upgrade and it should send a clear message that:

• What the Seahawks had for a running game wasn’t OK. You have to run the ball here. They aren’t designed to play basketball on grass.

• The NFL in general and NFC specifically is wide open. The Seahawks are going for it now.

• The Seahawks know their core has a window that will close. They have dealt two quality picks for two players in the final year or two of their contracts this season. Yes, they could get picks back if those two leave, but I have to imagine they are planning (or at least considering) to re-sign Sheldon Richardson and/or Brown. If they do, it would likely come at the expense of at least one core player.

Giving up Jeremy Lane in the Brown trade is only a depth concern, and that should be mitigated by the impending return of DeShawn Shead, so this is exactly what nearly every Seahawks fan has wanted. Russell Wilson should have more time, which should make him look more like he did this past week. Running backs might actually make it to the line of scrimmage before first contact. And success in the run game might even allow play action to be more than a token gesture.

With a successful veteran, the Seahawks should be able to diagnose some of the stunts and games that have hurt them. And when they get Luke Joeckel back, they should have a very interesting group with Brown, Joeckel, Justin Britt, Ethan Pocic and Germain Ifedi.

Almost nothing not to like here.

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