Seahawks have ‘a lot of confidence’ in Joey Hunt replacing Justin Britt

The news the Seahawks feared they would get came true on Monday: Justin Britt is done for the year with a torn ACL.

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Britt, who has been Seattle’s starting center since the 2016 season, went down with a left injury in the first quarter of Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Falcons. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll confirmed Monday afternoon that Britt’s injury is indeed a torn ACL that will require reconstructive surgery.

The good news is that the Seahawks feel confident in handing the reins of the position over to Joey Hunt, a 25-year-old lineman who has been in Seattle’s system since being drafted in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Texas Christian University.

“We have a lot of confidence in Joey,” Carroll said Monday on The Pete Carroll Show with 710 ESPN Seattle’s Danny and Gallant. “He has always been there, he has always been the smartest guy in the group, he’s got a great ability to control what’s going on up there.”

That helps considering Hunt is considerably smaller than your usual center. While Britt is 6-foot-6 and 315 pounds, Hunt checks in at 6-2 and 299 pounds.

“He’s a totally different package, he’s much smaller than Britt – still around 300 pounds – but he’s a very, very stout, strong player,” Carroll said. “Plays with great leverage, he’s got great hands, he’s a really good pass protector. He is by far the winningest pass pro guy in our drills forever, he always has been.”

By Carroll’s account, Hunt has been an important member of the team even though he hasn’t played much in the past.

“Joey has been there the whole time. He has been such a great team member, he’s always looked for his opportunities, when he’s had them he’s jumped in. This is a big deal for him, really excited for him to take over the spot.”

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