Film Breakdown: Seahawks in Good Hands with Joey Hunt

Losing a starting offensive lineman for the season is never a good thing, but Seattle should be grateful they have a reliable backup center in Hunt, who should be a capable replacement for Justin Britt for the rest of 2019 and potentially beyond.

The Seahawks picked up their sixth win of the season in Atlanta last Sunday, but the victory came a great cost, as the team lost starting center Justin Britt for the season to a torn left ACL.

Such a loss would be debilitating for many NFL teams, as centers are far more valuable than most fans realize. They typically handle line calls, serve as the communication medium for the entire offensive line, and also have to consistently make quality snaps to the quarterback.

But the Seahawks remain confident in backup Joey Hunt, who has been with the team for parts of four seasons and understands their offensive scheme inside and out. Widely respected by coaches and teammates for his work ethic and grit, he's been waiting for this opportunity.

As noted by offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, he's not concerned at all about having to adjust the offense to cater to Hunt as Britt's replacement moving forward.

"Joey is so smart, so quick, he’s got great leverage." Schottenheimer said on Thursday. "I don’t worry about Joey at all. He’s a guy that’s going to battle and he’s going to get us declared right and going to the right people. He’s a really good football player.”

Hunt, a former sixth-round pick out of TCU, will now have an eight-game audition as the starter in the midst of a high-stakes playoff race. And with Britt potentially being a cap casualty next spring, he could be playing for a starting gig in 2020.

What does Hunt bring to the table? And will the Seahawks be able to keep rolling with him supplanting Britt in the starting lineup?

Check out my latest film study as I revisit Hunt's performance as a run blocker and pass protector during last week's 27-20 win over the Falcons.