Brian Nemhauser·
Free AgencyOffensive Line
··1 min read

Grading J’Marcus Webb Signing

Reports surfaced overnight that the Seahawks have signed J’Marcus Webb. Details of the contract have not been announced yet. Webb started most of last season as a guard for the Raiders, but has experience as a tackle, both for Oakland and Chicago. Webb was ranked worst at his position by PFF last year, and was a disaster for the Bears when he played tackle.

Analysis

This signing is difficult to grade without knowing how Webb will be utilized and what the price was to get him. If he was brought aboard to replace Alvin Bailey as a depth player who can play four spots on the line, this could be a quality addition. If he is being paid to compete for a starting role to replace J.R. Sweezy, this is pretty disappointing.

Webb perfectly fits the Tom Cable mold of all-run block, no pass-pro, lineman. He is tough and physical, and seemed to benefit slightly from moving inside to guard last year. Rankings by sites like PFF are easily overblown, and their rankings system has never valued Seahawks linemen the way the market has, but it sure would be nice to add a player who ranks higher than the worst at his position.

Seattle already added Bradley Sowell, who also ranked worst at his position by PFF rankings when he started 13 games in 2013.

This is not the recipe I had hoped for when envisioning an improved Seahawks line. They have struggled the past few years due to betting big on young developmental players. I had hoped the front office would invest in quality veterans like Jahri Evans, Evan Mathis, or even guys like Ryan Wendell and Geoff Schwartz. Those guys have at least played at a high level at some point in their careers.

Instead, it is looking more and more like the team will enter camp with question marks at nearly every line spot, with no clear upgrade at any position. Of course the Seahawks will draft some linemen, but the number of quality, impactful, rookie linemen Seattle has added since John Schneider took over is one. Even Russell Okung spent most of his rookie year injured, so you could argue the number is zero.

Heading into training camp hoping that rookies will step up dramatically reduces the Seahawks prospects. More moves are sure to be made, but it is hard to see the situation so far as anything but disappointing.

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Brian Nemhauser
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11 Comments

  2. 2 years $6.25 million, with $2.35 million guaranteed…It’s awful…They could’ve put 3-5 mil, and get a pretty good G or ~10 mil plus for 2 years, and a solid LT, like Penn.
    It seems like, they wanna get together a bunch of no good, awful passpro, mehh runblocker talentless linemen, and hope, couple of them will go boom…It’s sad

    2. I wonder how hard is cable
      Trying to get RW killed lol. They need to stop letting cable choose the o-line. PC and JS don’t seem to get the message that what cable is doing isn’t working. They could’ve gotten penn but no they get Webb who even cutler didn’t like. Smh I guess we’ll have to get use to average run blockers and terrible pass blockers until cable leaves.

    3. I don’t get it. Carroll said that the OL was the top priority and said it like the way they would approach the OL this offseason would be different. It looks like they’re doing the same old thing where they bring in backups and let Tom Cable work his “magic.” No offense to Tom but what has his magic ever produced in pass protection? Pretty much dead last every single season in pressure per dropback since he got here. Wilson went on a historic streak and showed every one what he can do with more time in the pocket, but that was only after the bye week when it seems like Cable was pretty much forced to stop working his magic and start an actual center at center… The major problem I have is how we’re shaping up for the draft and needing to take OL early especially if okung doesn’t resign. I’m gonna lose my mind if we take another OL early only to move him or sit him in place of an undrafted TE or 7th round DL. We don’t need to throw away high picks like that if all Tom’s going to do is stroke his ego and start his converts. Think of how much more depth we’d have had at CB, SS, or LB right now had we just handed those picks to D position coaches with track records of being able to take low picks let a lone high picks and turning them into stars

      1. I know I’m getting annoyed too. Sadly it’s likely going to happen this year like with carpenter, moffit, and especially Britt. I’m hoping okung signs too but he’s bound to get hurt just like every year. I look at the past drafts of who we could’ve gotten someone like Joel bitonio. What still pisses me off is we chose Britt who should’ve been pick in the 7th rd just because of how he blocked clowney in the running game. And also other picks that were head scratchers like carpenter, Michael, Richardson. Hopefully they still like Germain Ifedi from Texas A&M cause he freak. But Knowing cables tendancies he won’t go after decker, spriggs, whitehair, etc cause it’s more about athleticism than experience. Not to mention we still need to find a way to replace Irvin, mebane, a corner opposite sherm, another pass rusher and possibly chancellor. This draft will be a little intriguing cause seattle is very unpredictable with their draft.

  3. Finally. A member of the Seattle Seahawks blogosphere calls it correctly. The O-Line is worse now than its ever been. Other blogs (who will not be named) get mad if you even suggest there’s a problem.

    There’s a real problem with the line. It’s getting worse, and this is after they paid Wilson, the future of the franchise all that money.

    1. Well yeah don’t act like chicken little worst than its even been cmon, way to early to judge that. Plus still have draft as well. I see no reason to panic Seattle fans need to stop moving to the ledge so quickly.

      1. There is always someone like you or that dumb @$$ on Q13 who are so quick to try and go after any legitimate criticism or worry by writing us all off as “Guys jumping the bandwagon” or “moving to the ledge”.

        How about this: The O-line right now is worse than it has been in the last 20+ years. Now that we have technicalities out of the way and can get past semantics and such. how is this NOT the worst news for out O-line that we could (reasonably) imagine? It is the same crap they do every year only this time they are signing even worse talent (than anybody who has played on our O-line in the last 10 years) at absurd prices.

        Every one if fond of saying “Don’t panic” up until what we see coming actually comes to pass. No different than Aaron Levine last year telling Mariners fans “You people so quick to jump off the bandwagon need to relax…) and the Mariners got worse and worse.

        This is disastrous. On par with them signing Johnny Manzeil to a 4 year $20 million contract for which at least 5 million is guaranteed. It makes NO sense whatsoever and, barring us making some surprise move in free agency (or trading for someone proven) to sign actual talent, we cannot make the playoffs this next season.

  4. I have been dissappointed in the FO in terms of OL upgrades as well. Even if we did not have realistic chance to sign Osemele, they still could have gone after Penn, Beachum or any the several quality veteran guards available. Instead they sign 2 of the worst rated options available including who got way more than he should honestly. All of this just smacks of Tom Cable. The guy has not put out a good pass protection unit at any point in his career and this year is certianly shaping up no better. I used to Think Bevell was this teams biggest weakness but Cable is definitely taking the crown now. Though much can also be put on Pete and John for their blind faith in failing for the last 3 years

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