Seahawks to weigh all options when replenishing offensive line
At about the same time Jimmy Graham was holding an introductory teleconference with Seattle reporters Thursday, Max Unger was saying goodbye to Seattle.
Unger, silent since Tuesday’s blockbuster trade, took to Twitter to thank Seattle fans, calling his time with the Seahawks “what a ride,” and changing his title to “Center, New Orleans Saints.”
Graham, meanwhile, passed a physical Wednesday – reported to the world via Twitter late in the night by Seahawks owner Paul Allen – then told reporters Thursday that after the shock of the trade wore off, “I realized I was going to the best team in football.”
By then, the Seahawks already were well into the next steps of the offseason, one that now includes replenishing an offensive line that not only has lost its leader in Unger but also starting left guard James Carpenter, whose signing with the New York Jets became official Wednesday. Carpenter started 39 games after being drafted in the first round in 2011, and Unger started all 67 in which he played since being taken in the second round in 2009.
Seattle hosted two free agents Thursday who could fill holes up front – Shelley Smith, recently released by Miami; and Stefen Wisniewski, a starter the past four years for the Raiders who became an unrestricted free agent this week. Each has played guard and center – Wisniewski was Oakland’s starting center the past three years after playing his first year at guard.
A signing of either, though, was not regarded as imminent, as it’s thought the Seahawks are willing to take their time to find the right players – and at the right price – up front.
Carpenter’s backup last year was Alvin Bailey, who started three games at midseason when Carpenter was injured, including the win over the Giants when Seattle rushed for a team-record 350 yards. Bailey also filled in at left tackle for Russell Okung in the game at Arizona when the Seahawks gained a team-record 596 total yards.
If the Seahawks played today, the center would be Patrick Lewis, who the team signed in October and ended up starting four games in place of Unger – including the win at Arizona.
“We’ve got depth, and we’ve got guys that we know can play,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said after the trade of Unger. “We played a lot of games with these guys last year.”
Seattle’s other three offensive-line starters are all under contract – right guard J.R. Sweezy and tackles Okung and Justin Britt.
“We have a long ways to go here. It’s early,” general manager John Schneider said Tuesday. “And we are going to try to address every position as we move forward in any manner every day that waivers come out.”
Schofield departs
O’Brien Schofield, a backup defensive end for the Seahawks the past two seasons, signed Thursday with the Falcons, where the coach now is Dan Quinn, Seattle’s defensive coordinator the past two years.