John Schneider empathizes with Seahawks fans regarding team's greatest need

In a rare moment of unity, almost the entire Seattle Seahawks online community is in agreement on what the team's biggest need is this offseason. It doesn't take a career as an NFL scout to see that the team's greatest liability on the feld in 2024 was their offensive line, the same as it was in 2023, and in 2022, and so on...

With Charles Cross and Abe Lucas the Seahawks have at least one and a half strong starting offensive tackles, but their interior three positions are arguably the worst in the NFL, and all of them may be turned over in the coming weeks.

Today Teven Jenkins is coming in for a free agent visit, and he's the best lineman the team has been connected to since they swung and missed on number one-ranked guard Will Fries. Jenkins would qualify as a pretty big upgrade at left guard, which is currently the weakest position on the roster.

Seahawks fans would understandably feel upset and let down if they can't sign Jenkins, but have to be realistic about their perception of the situation and Schneider's being two different things. It's not like Seattle's 15-year GM doesn't know that the offensive line has to be addressed, though. Here's what he said about it last week on Seattle Sports radio, per Gregg Bell at the Tacoma News Tribune.

"Definitely, we need to (address it). Everybody sees it... I get it with the offensive line, the offensive-line stuff. Talking about the fans, I mean, I get that... I have empathy for that, big time.”

All of the Seahawks' hopes don't have to hinge on signing Jenkins. While their options shrank quickly at the opening of the free agent period, there are still some decent options out there who can probably be signed at prices that won't complicate the rest of the roster-building effort.

Some of the top remaining free agent interior linemen include Brandon Scherff, David Andrews, Shaq Mason and Will Hernandez, to name a few.

Signing two qualified starters at guard is probably too much to hope for, but the Seahawks have to come away with at least one of those two spots upgraded before they go into the draft - especially considering their underwhelming history drafting guards.

Center is less of a dire need thanks to the potential of Olu Oluwatimi, but it would still be wise to sign a veteran here - hopefully one who won't suddenly hang it up and retire on them at midseason.

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