Center Austin Blythe signed

[Maelstrom787]

Played for Rams and Chiefs

 

[mistaowen]

If I remember, this guy is an absolute monster in zone run blocking but not great in pass protection.

*edit and was replaced by Creed Humphrey, who the Seahawks very easily could have taken. Damn it. Oh well, definite upgrade.

 

[Maelstrom787]

He gets blown up regularly and has outrageously tiny arms.

Pocic is better. Straight up.

 

[nanomoz]

He gets blown up regularly and has outrageously tiny arms.

Pocic is better. Straight up.

Pocic is always injured, even when he plays.

This guy, at worst, is certainly better than Kyle Fuller.

There's some good news, it seems:

This past season for the Rams, Blythe was actually ranked in the top ten in run-block win rate among centers. In addition, Blythe posted a 73.2 overall run-blocking grade according to PFF and helped lead a top ten rushing offense with Los Angeles. Lastly, Blythe only committed 1 penalty in we’ll over 1,000 snaps in 2020. This should be music to Chiefs fans’ ears because what this team really needed was a center like Blythe.

https://arrowheadaddict.com/2021/04/01/austin-blythe-small-signing-that-fixes-big-problem-kc-chiefs/

 

[flv]

He started out with the Rams as a back-up C. He cross-trained at G. He had a very good 2018 season where he won the starting job at RG and he was a top 20 G that year. He wore down a bit and took over the C role due to the starting C being injured. He was then offered a 1 year mid-tier starting C/G contract which he didn't leve up to. The Rams offered him a back-up $1.2M contract with starter incentives that could have risen to $2M. Instead he took less money to join the Chiefs.

In his time with the Rams he was smart, dedicated, team-player. He's just physically small. Obviously he's now older as well. He should be viewed as a decent back-up at all 3 interior O-Line positions. As a potential starter he could have some decent games but he'd have some ugly games where he was over-powered. If the contract is under $1.75M per year and he can still play it's decent depth.

 

[TreeRon]

Another journeyman to "compete" with other journeymen to see who's the best of the "okay". That's been pretty much our MO for signing FA over the years. There have been exceptions but mostly not.

 

[Appyhawk]

Not sure I understand why depth would be our incentive in FA market, instead of improving the top end of the position. It does, however, seem to be a recurring strategy here.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

31 1/2 inch arms but a 76 inch Wing Span. I feel that is okay on the interior. I see a guy who has 4 years of experience with the Rams offensive scheme and can fill in at all three spots on the interior. He’s not a sexy signing but I think he can be seamlessly plugged into Waldron’s offense which is one less headache to deal with.

 

[Maelstrom787]

31 1/2 inch arms but a 76 inch Wing Span. I feel that is okay on the interior. I see a guy who has 4 years of experience with the Rams offensive scheme and can fill in at all three spots on the interior. He’s not a sexy signing but I think he can be seamlessly plugged into Waldron’s offense which is one less headache to deal with.

Blythe's arms are 30 1/4" though.

 

[flv]

It shows on NFL.com as a 1 year $4M deal. If you're paying $4M for a player who chose between 2 sub-$2M offers in 2021 and then only played 12 snaps then...(shakes head), good luck.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

31 1/2 inch arms but a 76 inch Wing Span. I feel that is okay on the interior. I see a guy who has 4 years of experience with the Rams offensive scheme and can fill in at all three spots on the interior. He’s not a sexy signing but I think he can be seamlessly plugged into Waldron’s offense which is one less headache to deal with.

Blythe's arms are 30 1/4" though.

My source was draft scout: 9 1/2 hands, 31 1/2 arms, 76 Wingspan but those were Pro Day measures.

 

[jammerhawk]

Maelstrom, his combine info was different and the arms were the longer length. He lifted 225 -29 times.

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/austin-bl ... 45068b7e5f

 

[Spohawks]

Every team needs a T-Rex, we got ours now too. Love it! Sounds like the run blocking is getting better. It's just none stop Improvement on both sides of the ball!

PLAYOFFS BABY!

 

[Maelstrom787]

I'm gonna trust the combine measurement more, but even if we land somewhere in the middle, they're still puny and regardless of his bench reps, he gets pushed back a bunch.

 

[seabowl]

This is a Waldron pick. Played for the Lambs.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

I'm gonna trust the combine measurement more, but even if we land somewhere in the middle, they're still puny and regardless of his bench reps, he gets pushed back a bunch.

Not that it’s super important I’m just trying to clarify what site you are getting his numbers because jammerhawk linked the .com numbers above and I used draft scout which were Pro Days numbers after the combine. The .com and DS say they are 31 1/2.

Other than that again he does bring some things to the table:

4 years with the Rams starting 48 out of 63 games for them.

Can play all three interior positions.

Might help a rookie center transition to Waldron’s scheme easier.

Again not sexy but not worthless either.

Sort to say, I’m fine with signing a Jeanpierre type, if they have plans to get their Unger in the draft.

 

[olyfan63]

This is a Waldron pick. Played for the Lambs.

Yup, Waldron needs some player-coaches to help better communicate and implement his scheme. And a serviceable backup at the three interior spots. Could easily do worse.

 

[Jville]

Not that it matters that much since it was so long ago, Here is a link that has both pro-day and combine measureless >>> [urltargetblank]https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=21916[/urltargetblank]

Guys like prospect Greg Eiland with 37 inch arms are not as motivated to work on their footwork as others such as Austin Blythe. It just might be that short arm folks dance a wee bit better and have a little quicker hands. Giving away a little size and weight motivates technique precision and development. Nothing wrong with coming off a relative easy year as a backup. Al Woods certainly came storming back after taking a whole year off. Intangibles of leadership are essential for team building in the rehab room, strength and quickness room, those skull sessions, the practice field, and player organized activities outside of the VMAC.

The off season is a time when we have very little info on what improvements players are working on. I don't know why so many outsiders are compelled to be so divisive about personnel they know so little about. Why at a time when the team is adding personnel ...... so many are already subtracting and dismissing so many prospects. We don't know what we don't know.

I'd rather look forward to anticipating what improvements players might be working on ...... than parroting various pecking lists the media and media subscribers habitually generate this time of year. To fully enjoy the Seahawks, it is beneficial to recognize the Seahawks as a unique culture that is markedly different than those other 31 teams.

After all these years, I've learned it's all about the Culture!

 

[Maelstrom787]

I'm gonna trust the combine measurement more, but even if we land somewhere in the middle, they're still puny and regardless of his bench reps, he gets pushed back a bunch.

Not that it’s super important I’m just trying to clarify what site you are getting his numbers because jammerhawk linked the .com numbers above and I used draft scout which were Pro Days numbers after the combine. The .com and DS say they are 31 1/2.

Other than that again he does bring some things to the table:

4 years with the Rams starting 48 out of 63 games for them.

Can play all three interior positions.

Might help a rookie center transition to Waldron’s scheme easier.

Again not sexy but not worthless either.

Sort to say, I’m fine with signing a Jeanpierre type, if they have plans to get their Unger in the draft.

The numbers are his official combine measurements. Pro day, his arms came in 1.25 inches longer.

Regardless, I agree that he's very good to have. I just can't get behind the idea that he improves upon Pocic as a starting candidate.

 

[massari]

Good lord, had no idea this was $4M. Assumed it was close to the vet min