Seattle Seahawks: Costs of playing with a poor offensive line

The Seattle Seahawks have one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL, and it’s really beginning to cost them. If this continues things could get worse in the long run.

It’s no secret how bad the offensive line in Seattle is. Quarterback Russell Wilson is constantly running for his life, trying to weave around and away from would be pass rushers. The Seattle Seahawks just haven’t done enough to protect their Super Bowl winning quarterback. And with Wilson turning 30 during the 2018 season, the Seahawks might want to start considering some changes to their offensive front.

In 2017, Wilson was sacked 43 times, the fourth most in the NFL. In 2016, he was tied for the second-most sacked quarterback in the league. He tied for third in 2015 and 2013, and finished sixth in 2014 as well. Only in his rookie season, 2012, did Wilson rank outside of the top 10 most sacked quarterbacks; he finished 12th that year.

Wilson was a candidate for league MVP for a significant part of last year, partly because of what he was able to do with such a terrible line in front of him. But doesn’t an MVP caliber quarterback deserve better?

For reference, Tom Brady, the 2017 MVP,  has been sacked 176 times in his last six seasons in which he played 92 games. Wilson has hit the dirt 248 times in the same number of years, but with 96 games. He would’ve been brought down more if it wasn’t for hit dynamic scrambling abilities.

Wilson has a career sack percentage of 8.0, which means a pass rusher sacks him on eight percent of the times he tries to throw the ball. Brady’s career sack percentage is only 4.9. Ben Roethlisberger, who also suffered from a horrible line in his many seasons, is only sacked on 6.8 percent of his pass attempts for his career. Eli Manning‘s career sack percentage is only 4.6! Cam Newton, a mobile quarterback who also takes a lot of hits, is still one whole percent lower than Wilson, at 7.0.

Pro Football Focus rated the Seahawks offensive line to be the 27th worst in the NFL after the 2017 season. This is because the linemen are young, but have failed to progress. In 2017, four of Seattle’s starters had less than five years of experience prior to the season. Throughout the year the Seahawks tried a litany of linemen combinations and even traded for Pro Bowl tackle Duane Brown, the only really experienced and established starter on the line for Seattle.

Unfortunately for Wilson, the line hasn’t improved this offseason. Guard Luke Joeckel is gone and the equally unexciting D.J. Fluker has taken his place. Ethan Pocic will become a full time starter at guard as well. Center Justin Britt, tackle Germain Ifedi, and Brown will all resume their roles this year.

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Maybe rookie running back Rashaad Penny can take some of the pressure off of Wilson, but, if not, expect Wilson to be running and juking like his life depends on it again in 2018. Sooner or later the Seahawks will have to get their quarterback some help. Eventually he won’t be able to keep taking hits or outrunning defenders.