Seahawks Add Offensive Line Depth, Re-Sign Veteran Cedric Ogbuehi
Seeking depth at both tackle positions along their offensive line, the Seahawks will bring back veteran Cedric Ogbuehi for a second season.
According to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, Seattle has agreed to terms with Ogbuehi on a one-year contract. Financial details have yet to be disclosed.
Ogbuehi, who turns 29 in April, signed a one-year contract with Seattle in March 2020 and entered training camp as the primary backup behind starters Duane Brown and Brandon Shell. While a shoulder injury kept him sidelined for the first three games of the regular season, he made his team debut in a reserve role against Miami in Week 4.
After Shell suffered an ankle sprain in a Week 11 win over the Cardinals, Ogbuehi made his first start in nearly three years against the Eagles the following week. Though the team held on for a narrow victory, he struggled throughout the outing, allowing six quarterback pressures and one quarterback hit against Russell Wilson.
But when Shell re-aggravated the injury two weeks later, Ogbuehi performed admirably in his place during the Seahawks final three regular season games against the Washington Football Team, Rams, and 49ers. Despite facing three of the best defensive lines in the NFL, he earned at least a 67.6 pass blocking grade from Pro Football Focus in each contest, surrendering a grand total of three pressures, one quarterback hit, and no sacks.
Ogbuehi also held up well as a run blocker in those three games, including helping spring Carlos Hyde for a 50-yard touchdown run with a second-level block against Washington. He received at least a 73.1 run blocking grade from PFF in each of those victories to close out the season.
"Cedric came through. He just came through with a fantastic game for us," coach Pete Carroll said following Seattle's Week 15 win in Landover. "He was solid throughout - run and pass, front side and back side pass pro - he had a great game for the opportunity he was up against, the guys he was battling. I was really fired up about that."
With only three draft picks and expected starters Duane Brown and Brandon Shell both entering the final year of their respective contracts, re-signing Ogbuehi makes sense on a number of fronts. The former first-round pick out of Texas A&M is still relatively young, has prior starting experience at both tackle spots, and drew consistent praise from the coaching staff when he played last year.
Seattle could still use one of its limited picks in April's draft on an eventual heir apparent for Brown, who will turn 36 years old in August. But for now, Ogbuehi will serve as the team's proven "swing" tackle and insurance policy at the position.
