Seahawks 2nd cheapest in Offensive Line

[Mizak]

Geno better be prepared to take dem sacks. Also explains why running game sucks.

 

[CactusJack]

Cross, Lucas & Lewis are on their rookie deals. Makes sense. Those are your three best lineman.

 

[akscoundrel]

Cross, Lucas & Lewis are on their rookie deals. Makes sense. Those are your three best lineman.

This. That bill is coming later lol. Line is much improved over past years, will continue to improve, and not even close to our biggest weakness(s) that needed to be addressed.

 

[kidhawk]

When your Tackles (generally the most expensive Offensive linemen) are both 2nd year rookies, you should be cheapest.

This is a classic example why a lot of these comparative stats really don't mean anything out of context.

 

[cymatica]

Considering how well the rookies played, and with the new center, this looks like one of the best bang for your buck olines

 

[sutz]

Considering how well the rookies played, and with the new center, this looks like one of the best bang for your buck olines

And assuming we fill out the line with another rookie guard, it could get even better.

 

[CallMeADawg]

Geno better be prepared to take dem sacks. Also explains why running game sucks.

No it doesn't, as others pointed out most of the line is on rookie deals and we still have the draft ahead of us.

 

[sutz]

When your Tackles (generally the most expensive Offensive linemen) are both 2nd year rookies, you should be cheapest.

This is a classic example why a lot of these comparative stats really don't mean anything out of context.

Yeah, just comparing salaries and cap hits doesn't tell anywhere near the full story. If you hit on a good rookie that starts right away, he can drag the "money spent" money on a unit of the team way down. We hit on two last draft, which is pretty remarkable, and have another probable starter still on his rookie deal. "Cheap" doesn't necessarily mean poor performance.

 

[Jville]

The units that describe what the numbers are about are significant. The OP inference doesn't follow.

And as long as we are critiquing the original post, I think the word cheap is a mischaracterization. I would have preferred a more meaningful word like thrifty ... as in a frugal use of cap space.

Indeed, one could make the inference that the return on investment for this year's offensive line may turn out to be one of the better returns in team history.

Prospects for this year's blocking game are looking good!

 

[GemCity]

Spending a lot sure worked out for the Texans and Falcons…*ahem*

 

[TAB420]

Geno better be prepared to take dem sacks. Also explains why running game sucks.

Or, we have a young line, playing on rookie contracts.

 

[nwHawk]

Thank you Andy! You’re doing a heck of a job! Looking forward to next season.

 

[QWERTY]

Spending a lot sure worked out for the Texans and Falcons…*ahem*

The Falcons have a good line.

They were able to run the ball pretty well.

 

[bigskydoc]

A metric I haven't seen tracked anywhere, but have found interesting to look at, is the combined cap hit of the QB and the LT. Alternatively, the combined cap hit of the QB and both tackles.

I've found some interesting patterns, but nothing interesting enough to make a full post on.

I do think there is an optimal combined cap hit for team success. A sweet spot between too cheap giving you not enough production from the offense, and too expensive when you reach a point of diminishing returns.

If you are paying top dollar to a QB, you will need to go cheap at the tackle spots to optimize your offense. If you have a rookie QB, your optimal offense will include a highly paid tackle or two.

Buy then you have the true outliers that screw up the narrative. The Seahawks have a cheap QB playing at an elite level. They also have rookie contract tackles playing at an elite level. That leaves us so much cap space to spend elsewhere, but it isn't a reproducible formula.

 

[Nunya]

Know fact: 73.685% of all stats are made up.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

They have 2 rookies, of course they're going to have a "cheaper" o line currently. But, this line is getting better and will continue to get better.
Overpaying for an o-line doesn't automatically make a great o-line.
I can't imagine being unhappy with how Cross and Lucas played. And they played pretty damn well for rookies imo.

 

[Ozzy]

I'm normally arguing against Seattle in this conversation because for years they mishandled the offensive line to almost unbelievable levels. But they're doing it right at the moment and both tackles being on rookie deals drives this. I have zero issues with it. I'm just glad they're finally making it a priority and I hope they continue to do so. I want to see at least one offensive lineman with one of their 1/2nd round picks as well.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Center AND a Guard in the Draft hopefully. Unless they pick up another Guard in FA before then.

 

[olyfan63]

A metric I haven't seen tracked anywhere, but have found interesting to look at, is the combined cap hit of the QB and the LT. Alternatively, the combined cap hit of the QB and both tackles.

I've found some interesting patterns, but nothing interesting enough to make a full post on.

I do think there is an optimal combined cap hit for team success. A sweet spot between too cheap giving you not enough production from the offense, and too expensive when you reach a point of diminishing returns.

If you are paying top dollar to a QB, you will need to go cheap at the tackle spots to optimize your offense. If you have a rookie QB, your optimal offense will include a highly paid tackle or two.

Buy then you have the true outliers that screw up the narrative. The Seahawks have a cheap QB playing at an elite level. They also have rookie contract tackles playing at an elite level. That leaves us so much cap space to spend elsewhere, but it isn't a reproducible formula.

I was thinking about this too, that Pete's SB48 winning formula was:
* Cheap-but-very-good QB with a great deep ball
* Cheap road grader run game O-Line
* Elite tough-yards RB who forces opponents to stack the box
* Pedestrian cheap receivers who walk their ass to the Super Bowl
* Spending the big money mostly on the D side of the ball
* An elite defense with several key free-agent signings who took cheap deals
* A dangerous and effective pass rush (Avril, Bennett, other effective rotational rushers)
* A DL rotation that keeps fresh, good DTs and DEs on the field
* Young-and-good corners
* Bobby Wagner in the middle running the D

It seems Pete and the Seahawks have a lot of the pieces for Pete's "winning formula" in place for the upcoming season. To properly complete this, in the draft or free agency, Hawks need to pick up:

DT/DE good rotational pieces (Arguing for Jalen Carter at #5 or trade down and take him, plus snag Siaki Ika)
LB (Will Anderson Jr. if falls to Seattle)
IOL (Peter Skoronski and use him at G)
RB (Surprise trade-down pick: Bijan Robinson; more likely, a mid-round 210+ pounder)

OK, so those are blue-sky wishlist picks, we won't get more than 1 or 2, and I suspect the truth of how this draft unfolds could wind up being stranger than fiction. If Seattle hits on the 1st and 2nd rounders and scores some mid-round and late-round gems, this could rank up there as an all-time best Seahawks draft, and create a playoff success window of multiple years.

 

[bileever]

One thing that I'm hoping for this season is that our offensive line, especially our two second-year tackles take a big step forward. Although they were solid last year, there is a lot of room for improvement, particularly in the run game. It stands to reason that they would struggle there, especially someone like Lucas who played in an Air Raid offense in college. If our offensive line takes the next step, we will be better on offense, even if we don't upgrade our skill positions. If we don't improve there, our offense is going to falter against that 49ers defensive line again.