Seahawks Must Consider Alternative Plans at Center

Seattle gave Ethan Pocic a vote of confidence by re-signing him and not making any notable moves at center this offseason. But with the former second-round pick battling another injury, it's time for the franchise to actively consider other options to potentially replace him, including two players already on the roster.

Prior to the start of the new NFL league year back in March, the Seahawks didn’t have either one of their top two centers from the 2020 season under contract. With Ethan Pocic set to hit the market, the organization was expected to pursue an upgrade either through free agency or a deep incoming draft class at the position.

But while general manager John Schneider did send a fifth-round pick to the Las Vegas Raiders for veteran guard Gabe Jackson to help solidify Seattle’s offensive line, he opted to stick with status quo at center by re-signing Pocic as well as Kyle Fuller. In the process, the team bypassed several quality free agent options such as David Andrews and Austin Reiter, who has yet to be signed. He also chose to select receiver D’Wayne Eskridge in the second round of April’s draft rather than pick Creed Humphrey or Quinn Meinerz, who both remained available at No. 56 overall.

Those decisions received plenty of scrutiny from fans and experts alike months ago. Now in the third week of training camp, the state of the pivot position for the Seahawks remains very much in question as Pocic continues to miss time with a lingering hamstring injury.

With Pocic still sidelined and already ruled out for Seattle's preseason opener in Vegas on Saturday, Fuller has been taking all of the first-team reps in recent practices. He has one career start at the position, which came against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 10 last season. Behind him, Brad Lundblade is the only other center on the roster and he has dressed for a grand total of one NFL regular season game.

Pocic proved to be a serviceable starter last season taking over for Justin Britt, surrendering only two sacks in 14 games. But he struggled down the stretch and has clear physical limitations, particularly in the run blocking department, and injuries have been problematic for him. Fuller looked overwhelmed in his lone start last year before spraining his ankle, while Lundblade has never played an offensive snap in an NFL game.

Although coach Pete Carroll and Schneider spoke favorably about Pocic's potential and Fuller's capabilities during the offseason, the reality is that the group doesn’t inspire great confidence playing in the rugged NFC West.

Thankfully, the Seahawks have a pair of internal candidates who offer intrigue as potential centers and the coaching staff already appears to be on board with considering such alternatives.

Due to Pocic re-aggravating a pulled hamstring last Friday, Seattle started giving third-year guard Phil Haynes live reps snapping the football this week. Finally healthy after two injury-plagued seasons, the former Wake Forest standout has enjoyed a strong camp thus far and has seen action with the first team spelling Jackson in several practices. He's a favorite of coach Mike Solari who has been snake-bitten by bad luck early in his career.

Though Haynes didn't play any center in college, he possesses good athleticism and lateral movement skills at 322 pounds thanks to his basketball background, which should cater well to coordinator Shane Waldron's zone-heavy scheme. He was lauded for his pass protection prowess with the Demon Deacons and held up well in that regard in the divisional round against the Packers two years ago. He plays a physical brand of football and can also drive defenders off the line of scrimmage on gap runs, giving him ample versatility.

Already seeing work with starters in camp, if he’s able to quickly learn line calls and can consistently deliver quality snaps to Russell Wilson in shotgun, Haynes could be a natural fit at the position who offers far more upside than Pocic.

That’s not the only viable way Seattle could move Haynes into the starting lineup, however.

The Seahawks faced a similar depth dilemma at center last November as they prepared to host the Cardinals in Week 11. Pocic remained in concussion protocol and wouldn’t be able to play, while Fuller’s high ankle sprain limited him at practice all week, leaving the team scrambling for an emergency option.

Much like Haynes is attempting to do now, rookie guard Damien Lewis was fast-tracked at center during the practice week. Despite no prior game experience at any level at the position, he impressed enough during the week to earn a surprise start against Arizona.

Though he was far from perfect and botched his first snap to Wilson, Lewis performed admirably in Pocic’s stead, helping the Seahawks hold on for a key 28-21 divisional victory. Carroll showered him with praise following the game and on numerous instances this offseason, he hinted at the possibility the mauling blocker could transition to center full-time eventually. With extra practice time to sharpen his skills, he could develop into a perennial Pro Bowler in time, adding to his value at a position of great importance.

Were Seattle to revisit such a possibility now, Haynes could settle in at the left guard spot next to Lewis and tackle Duane Brown. Haynes would have to prove he could stay on the field, but if healthy and playing to his potential, a strong argument could be made his presence makes the group superior to one with Pocic or Fuller in the lineup instead.

At worst, giving Haynes and/or Lewis additional reps at center will give the franchise better flexibility if Pocic misses extended time or doesn’t perform to expectations.

Given the suspect depth, lack of experience, and uncertainty revolving around Pocic's health, Schneider's choice to not aggressively seek improvements at center has created a legitimate cause for concern heading towards the regular season. It's only mid-August, but it already feels like it's time for the Seahawks to take drastic measures to address a position group that was wrongfully neglected this spring. In a title window, the team can't afford to keep sticking to their original plan.

While making a last minute move such as signing Reiter or orchestrating a trade can't be ruled out as possible solutions, with protecting Wilson as the top priority, either Lewis or Haynes emerging as a viable replacement could help mitigate that mistake moving forward and provide a possible long-term starter for 2022 and beyond.