There are plenty of reasons for the Seahawks to be optimistic about their future, both next season and in the long term, ranging from their loaded defense to their Pro Bowl quarterback to a head coach and general manager with a winning track record. But another reason Pete Carroll and company are excited about next year's team is the growth they're expecting to see from the unit that was the subject of a lot of scrutiny in 2016.
The Seahawks offensive line had its struggles over the course of the past 19 weeks, no one will deny that, but at times that unit showed considerable progress. And when you consider how young and inexperienced that group was in 2016, it's more than reasonable to expect significant growth out of the offensive line in 2017.
"I think we made a ton of progress," Carroll said. "Knowing how much guys improve from one year to the next, and particularly the youngest guys improve the most, we have nothing but good things to think about what will take place. Guys are going to get better."
The Seahawks finished the season with a starting line of George Fant at left tackle, Mark Glowinski at left guard, Justin Britt at center, Germain Ifedi at right guard and Garry Gilliam at right tackle. Four of those players are under contract next season, while Gilliam is a restricted free agent, so unless players added in the draft or free agency, or current backups such as rookie Rees Odhiambo, can beat somebody out, the Seahawks will have a similar line next season to the one that finished this season at a position where continuity can make a big difference.
Given the experience of that group, or lack thereof, there is every reason to expect them to take a big step forward. Britt, the most experienced of Seattle's starting linemen, went from tackle to guard to center in his first three seasons, so he'll benefit from staying at the position where he thrived this season; Glowinski started just one game prior to last season; Gilliam is a two-year starter, but was a tight end until his senior year of college, so he's still growing; Ifedi, Seattle's first-round pick in 2016, will improve from year one to year two; and most notably, Fant has a ton of room for growth having spent his college career playing basketball before switching to football for one year, barely playing as a senior at Western Kentucky.
"The thing I look back on and appreciate is how hard these young guys work and how they kept battling through the season," Britt said. "When you look at George—someone who's never done it and how he's improved and battled, he really has upside. He can have a vison this offseason on what he wants to improve on and how to get better, because he actually knows what football is like, so it's really cool for them. Germain, Rees and Joey (Hunt), they have background in football, but to get a year under their belt in the NFL is huge. The sky's the limit, but it all starts with the offseason and how you go about it. Hopefully, they take it serious… I told them after the game (in Atlanta), I said, 'Next year we're going to be the best offensive line that we've had and one of the best in the league.' I believe that if we take the offseason serious. And we'll see what happens with free agency, but the good thing about being a young group is we'll be together a long time, and the longer we're together, the better we'll get, so I'm excited."
Added Fant: "There's a lot of positivity going forward. We've got so many pieces, so many tools we can utilize, a year under our belt as rookies, there's so much to learn, we've got so much to watch on the game film. Some of us had to learn on the fly, and that's going to make us so much better, take what we were missing last year and use this offseason to get better. This is going to be a very important offseason. The guys who were rookies this year need take a step next year."
"We know, and our coaching staff knows what we're capable of. I know each of my O-line brothers is going to bust his butt and get better, and that includes me as well. I have so much to learn from this season, so I think we're going to be OK and we're going to work our butts off to get better."
And it's not just the linemen themselves, or their coaches, who see the upside in that group. From Russell Wilson, who relies on that group for protection, to the rest of the offense, which needs the line to function its best, Seahawks players have expressed optimism about the line's future.
"The biggest part of it is the type of characters you have on that offensive line," receiver Doug Baldwin said. "Justin Britt being the guy he is, he's going to step into a leadership role, and we need him to do that, because he has to lead those guys up front. George Fant getting a year under his belt, Germain Ifedi getting a year under his belt, they realize now when the step in here in April (for offseason workouts), they're professionals now. There's no excuses, you've seen it. That should give them extra confidence coming in knowing that they're capable of doing it and doing it at a high level. Having those guys all together for another year, I think you'll see a vast improvement from them."
The Seahawks lost two starting linemen in free agency between the 2015 and 2016 seasons, and over the course of Carroll and Schneider's tenure, they have not had a lot of year-to-year continuity at that position group. That figures to change next year unless newcomers can perform so well that they beat out returning starters.
"We've been through that transition of guys, and that can't just keep happening, we can't keep going and going," Carroll said. "So you have to make some adjustments, which we did and we're working our way back. It has been a challenge though, there have been changes and it happens for reasons that it does—money gets too high, you can't afford to keep a guy because you don't have room to do it, you have young guys come up to take guys spots, you can see the future through the young guys. There's all kinds of reason, and we've kind of been through it all. I don't think we're in that mode right now. I think we have a chance now that this is maybe one of the two or three years out of the seven or eight where we have had a chance to come back with kind of the same group and have a chance to build with that. We're going to try to, but we're going to challenge the heck out of those guys too. We're not going to be satisfied."
All of that being said, the Seahawks won't go into the 2017 season assuming they have all the pieces they need in place. The Seahawks have drafted multiple offensive linemen in five of seven drafts under Carroll and Schneider, including three in each of the past two drafts, so it's a safe bet that they'll add players via the draft, and possibly also in free agency.
"We're going to work really hard in the offseason to make sure we make that spot really competitive again," Carroll said. "We're not going to rest on anything or set back like we think we got it now. We'll continue to work and there's opportunities of course in the draft and free agency and all of that that we're open to; we never turn away from any of those chances. But if nothing happened, these guys are coming back and they'll get after it and they're going to get after it and be farther along than they were. It couldn't be more obvious. That's just the natural thing that's going to happen. We need that natural occurrence to take place and help us be better from the start."
Team photographer Rod Mar shares exclusive behind-the-scenes images from the Seattle Seahawks' trip to Atlanta for the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the Falcons.
On Thursday afternoon, Seahawks employees lined 12 Seahawks Way to send the team off for the Divisional Round playoff game at Atlanta.
Fans were waiting near Sea Tac airport for the convoy of team buses to pass on the way to the airport.
A 12 flag adorns the machinery used to tow the Delta aircraft the team uses for its charter at Sea Tac airport.
Upon arrival in Atlanta, quarterback Russell Wilson makes his way across the tarmac to the waiting buses.
On Friday afternoon, players including Russell Wilson, Brandon Williams, Marcus Lucas and Cassius Marsh waited in the warm sunshine before boarding the buses for walk thru.
Tight end Marcus Lucas and receiver Jermaine Kearse pose for a photo before boarding the buses for walk thru.
Highway signs point the way to downtown Atlanta as the team heads to walk thru.
Cassius Marsh and Richard Sherman compare basketball post-up moves after departing buses at the walk thru site.
The Seahawks were greeted by former University of Washington and current Boston Celtics basketball player Isaiah Thomas. Thomas, who played his high school basketball, is an avid 12 and good friend of Seahawks receiver Jermaine Kearse (right).
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell instructs quarterback Russell Wilson during walk thru.
After their part of the walk thru, offensive players play a game of tapping a football in the air, and they were joined by Boston Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas for a couple of rounds.
Running back Thomas Rawls stretched out on the turf of the indoor practice facility at Georgia Tech.
Former Seahawks receiver Ricardo Lockette was also a visitor to walk thru, and he visited with receiver Jermaine Kearse.
The Seahawks walk into the Georgia Dome for a quick visit on Friday, the day before the game.
Seahawks running backs Terrence Magee, Alex Collins, Thomas Rawls and C.J. Prosise pose for a camera phone as they walk off the field at the Georgia Dome.
On Friday night, hundreds of enthusiastic 12s gathered for a Seahawks rally in downtown Atlanta.
On game day, Russell Wilson walks from the hotel to the waiting buses for the trip to the Georgia Dome for the Divisional Round playoff game.
Seahawks head coach greets former player turned broadcaster Michael Robinson on the field before the game.
Bobby Wagner signs autographs for fans after completing his early warmups.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson walks off the field after his early warmup throws.
Now dressed for the game, Seahawks quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Trevone Boykin leave the locker room and head to the field for pregame warmups.
Quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Trevone Boykin, along with quarterbacks coach Carl Smith gather together for a word before taking the field.
Minutes later, the defensive backs, led by Kam Chancellor and Richard Sheman headed down a walkway from the locker room to the field for pregame warmups.
Defensive backs including Jeron Johnson, DeShawn Shead, Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor and Dewey McDonald form their traditional pregame huddle.
Quarterback Russell Wilson greets his teammates including Devin Hester and Paul Richardson as they return to the locker room following pregame warmups.
Defensive end Frank Clark wore custom cleats for the game.
Tight end Jimmy Graham found a moment to himself in the locker room in the moments before the game.
The Seahawks gather around team leaders Kam Chancellor, Michael Bennett, Russell Wilson, Doug Baldwin and Richard Sherman before leaving the locker room for kickoff.
The Seahawks stand at attention for the national anthem prior to kickoff.
The Seahawks started the game strong behind the running of Thomas Rawls.
Jimmy Graham yells after scoring the game's opening touchdown on a pass from Russell Wilson on the game's first drive.
Richard Sherman listens to instruction from defensive coordinator Kris Richard during a media time out.
Seahawks defenders including Mike Morgan, Jeron Johnson and Kam Chancellor make a tackle in the first half.
Speedy receiver Paul Richardson heads upfield after a first half pass reception.
At halftime, defensive coordinator talked to his players in the locker room.
On the other end of the locker room, quarterbacks coach Carl Smith instructed Russell Wilson and Trevone Boykin.
Seahawks personnel wait as the team's medical staff attended to injured cornerback DeShawn Shead.
Wide receiver Paul Richardson catches a long pass up the right sideline.
Seahawks defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin sacks Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan in the third quarter.
Seattle's Doug Baldwin lunges but can't quite get to a long pass thrown by quarterback Russell Wilson.
Seahawks fans in the stands at the Georgia Dome show concern as the clock runs in the second half.
Seahawks defensive tackle Michael Bennett gets into the Atlanta backfield to tackle Falcons running back Tevin Coleman for a loss.
Seahawks return specialist Devin Hester takes a kickoff 78 yards to set up a touchdown on the ensuing drive.
Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls sits on the bench in the final moments of the game.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll stand on the field during a replay challenge in the fourth quarter.
Receiver Doug Baldwin and return specialist Devin Hester sit on the bench after the final whistle ended the Seahawks season with a loss in the Divisional Round at Atlanta.
Quarterback Russell Wilson and defensive lineman Michael Bennett walk off the field together after the game.
Head coach Pete Carroll spoke to the team in the visitor's locker room after the game.
Seahawks Jermaine Kearse, Doug Baldwin, Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman listen to head coach Pete Carroll's postgame talk in the visitor's locker room at the Georgia Dome.
The Seahawks join hands for the final time of the 2016-17 season.
Head coach Pete Carroll walked through the locker room and hugged players after the game.
The Seahawks descend the stairs after arriving back in Seattle well after midnight on Sunday morning.
