Seahawks' line woes driving Russell Wilson to cut weight, focus on speed
Russell Wilson continues to focus on cutting weight and speed training to try to cope with the onslaught of pass rush he is facing.
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The Seahawks have faced a crisis with their pass protection this season, with franchise quarterback Russell Wilson forced to scramble wildly to extend plays far too often, and most of the focus is on the center position at this time. Sources said the team would be willing to make a switch in-game if need be Sunday in Cincinnati if problems with the center exchange continue at the rate they have been happening, while Wilson, already in tremendous shape, continues to focus on cutting weight and speed training to try to cope with the onslaught of pressure he is facing.
Seattle dealt stalwart center Max Unger to New Orleans in the deal that brought them tight end Jimmy Graham, and the team has gone with three converted defensive lineman in its interior line this season, with former defensive lineman-turned-guard Drew Nowak converted further to center this season. Nowak has had significant issues delivering accurate snaps, however -- one source said upwards of 20 snaps were less than ideal in Monday’s narrow win over Detroit -- and with the rest of the line struggling as well, those extra lost seconds or fractions of seconds are a luxury this group cannot afford at this time.
“The quarterback-center exchanges are the most critical issue with the line,” one source said. “They have to be on the same page and the ball has to be delivered where it is supposed to be.”
It has reached a point where as much as the team wants to continue to develop Nowak, and tap into his upside, the bad snaps have caused them to consider an in-game change if need be, with backup Patrick Lewis told to be ready to play if need be. Lewis is better suited to man-to-man blocking in a power run scheme, and the Seahawks often rely on more of a zone scheme predicated on lateral movement off the snap, but that’s less of a concern now than simply having the ball put in Wilson’s hands in a timely and accurate manner.
For his part, Wilson is continuing to work with his trainers on prioritizing speed -- his mobility has kept the offense afloat at a time when the line has struggled -- and rather than bulk up he is looking to get as close to his college weight of 208 as he can (Wilson played behind a porous line at NC State before enjoying excellent protection at Wisconsin). Days off are focused on recovery and speed work with Wilson getting roughed up at an alarming rate, and the Seahawks will continue to be open to personnel changes if need be to get the line playing more consistently.
