Continuity may be at risk for Hawks’ offensive line

The success of the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive line begins with a single word that probably won’t be used next season.

Continuity.

Four of Seattle’s starters are in their fifth season playing together, and the rewards have been obvious.

“If you are fortunate enough to have your offensive line stay together,” Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said Monday, “you are ahead of the game.”

The end of the run could be near.

Walter Jones, who will finally go into an offseason with some offseason security, is the Seahawks’ lone offensive lineman who is certain to be back in the starting lineup next season. Center Robbie Tobeck and right guard Chris Gray are both 35 years old, right tackle Sean Locklear is just trying to hold off Floyd Womack for his starting job, and Pro Bowl left guard Steve Hutchinson is a free-agent-to-be.

That means the continuity that has been so important will probably not continue for much longer.

“We talk about it a lot,” said Hutchinson, whose Pro Bowl ability could make him the highest-paid guard in NFL history. “We always joke that we wish those guys were younger. We keep our fingers crossed.”

Hutchinson’s status is the biggest question mark. He has been so productive during his five-year NFL career that he could realistically ask for the type of money typically given to offensive tackles. While it seems unlikely anyone would give him the same seven-year, $52.5 million contract Jones signed last season, Hutchinson can expect offers above the seven-year, $28 million contract that was given to the NFL’s highest-paid guard, Washington’s Randy Thomas.

Hutchinson has started 58 games in his NFL career, all but two of which included Jones on his left and Tobeck on his right. The only times he didn’t line up between those two were at the beginning of the 2002 season (Jones missed two games due to a contract dispute) and in the final minutes of Sunday’s win over Houston, when Tobeck gave way to rookie Chris Spencer for a meaningless series.

“That’s huge,” Hutchinson said of the continuity Seattle has had over the years. “It takes all five guys working as a unit for us to accomplish our goal. You really have to be on the same page.”

That was especially evident in Sunday’s 42-10 win over the Houston Texans, which Holmgren called one of the offensive line’s finest games. The Seahawks piled up a franchise-record 320 rushing yards and had two different running backs – Shaun Alexander (141) and Maurice Morris (104) – go over the century mark.

“Things just happened for us (Sunday); it just clicked,” Tobeck said. “I think it’s because guys were just playing hard. Guys have always played hard, but sometimes it falls into place and sometimes it doesn’t.”

The performance wasn’t exactly an aberration, as Seattle’s offensive line has been among the NFL’s best all season. The statistics bear that out, as the Seahawks rank first in the NFL in yards per game (407.2) and also have the league’s leading rusher (Alexander, 715 yards).

That’s our stat,” Hutchinson said. “Having the leading offense and the No. 1 rusher, that’s our stat.”

It helps to have two Pro Bowlers in Hutchinson and Jones, but Seattle’s offensive success is also about experience. Tobeck and Gray have seen a lot during their combined 24 NFL seasons.

“I’ve been pretty fortunate,” Tobeck said. “My body’s healthy; I feel good. I still have a lot of energy. I think that’s a big thing, that I’m naturally a person who has a lot of energy. I still have that energy.”

Unlike past seasons, the Seahawks have high-profile young linemen ready to take over for their 30-plus starters. First-round draft pick Chris Spencer is likely to be the starting center next season, while Floyd Womack or starting right tackle Sean Locklear could slide inside to replace Gray.