The Seahawks traded center Max Unger to the Saints last spring, have had multiple players shift positions over the last three weeks and even have a new starter who used to be a defensive lineman. After all that, though, the Seahawks believe they have their offensive line.
“I think we’re kind of settled in as to where we are going,” offensive line coach and assistant head coach Tom Cable said Tuesday.
Those five are, from left to right, Russell Okung, Justin Britt, Drew Nowak, J.R. Sweezy and Garry Gilliam. Britt started all 16 games last year at right tackle but was moved inside after the first preseason game this year, at which point this line began to take shape.
“They’re just getting started,” Cable said.
Nowak is the wildcard. He’s never played on the offensive line during a real NFL game and was on the Seattle practice squad last year as part of his transition from college defensive lineman to center, a transition that started in 2012 with the Jaguars.
“He looks terrific for how far he has come,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said of Nowak. “You really shouldn’t be able to learn [center] that fast, almost. It would be a surprise to most people.
“But he’s doing really well. So we just take it one step at a time, and he is fitting in. Surprised us some, but we felt like we needed a guy to jump up, and he did it.”
Nowak started camp behind Lemuel Jeanpierre at center. Gilliam was moved from backup left tackle to right tackle when Britt was moved to the guard and the spot that was last year held by James Carpenter, who went to the Jets in free agency.