Everett, Wash.
Published: Saturday, September 6, 2008

Seahawks O-line confident despite lack of practice time

By Scott M. Johnson
Herald Writer

 RENTON -- As the Seattle Seahawks prepared to take the field Friday morning for what would be their final full practice before the regular-season opener, head coach Mike Holmgren was interrupted by some news from one of his assistant coaches.

"Did you hear about Mike Wahle?" offensive line coach Mike Solari asked him, and Holmgren's first reaction was to ball his hands into fists and give that what-now look.

As it turned out, the news was good. Wahle's wife delivered a baby on Friday morning, so the Seahawks' starting left guard was late for practice.

The way Holmgren saw it, that was much better than the alternative.

The Seahawks have struggled to bring together their full complement of offensive linemen this preseason, going the full six weeks without a single practice that included all five starters. Center Chris Spencer missed most of training camp, and just before he returned, right tackle Sean Locklear suffered a knee injury that will probably keep him out of Sunday's opener at Buffalo.

The constant shuffling, while not unique to the Seahawks this time of year, has made it hard for the coaches to get a gauge on what the Seattle line might look like in 2008.

"We have a long ways to go," new offensive line coach Mike Solari admitted earlier this week. "The guys are working hard, and they're doing everything that's asked of them. I think they're making progress. As a coach, it can never be quick enough. But they're working hard, and we think they'll be ready to go."

Spencer, Locklear, Wahle and left tackle Walter Jones have missed practice time, while right guard Rob Sims is trying to learn a new position after playing on the left side in 2007. Sims has yet to participate in a practice that included the starters on either side of him, and yet he believes the Seahawks will be just fine.

"We're definitely well-coached," he said, referring to the addition of Solari. "Everybody's hungry, and everybody wants to do well to prove that we're good. Everybody knows that we have some talent. We just have to go put it together now."

The offensive line was one of the biggest areas of concern after a 2007 season that saw Seattle's rushing totals drop from 120 yards per game to 101. The Seahawks added Solari, a longtime assistant who helped build up strong units in San Francisco and Kansas City, as well as Wahle.

But the rebuilt unit has yet to take the field for a single practice together. Spencer's absence, and a back injury that forced veteran backup Chris Gray into retirement, pushed deep reserve Steve Vallos into the role of starting center for three preseason games. Locklear's injury opened the door for Ray Willis' likely first NFL start.

"It's going to be OK," Jones said. "We've played in the preseason, so the line has come together."

Solari, who has spent most of the past few months just trying to put together five healthy bodies, was just as optimistic about the upcoming season.

"The guys are prepared," he said. "They've been working hard. That's part of being in the NFL. Men have to be ready. They've worked hard, and they have to be ready."

The biggest question marks are at center and right tackle, where injuries have affected the rotation.

Spencer was sidelined almost the entire summer -- first because of shoulder surgery, and then due to a back injury he suffered in late July. His first practice came on Aug. 18, and he played in only one preseason game.

Spencer fell dreadfully behind in terms of preparing for the season, especially when considering the fact that Solari added a few wrinkles to the Seahawks' blocking scheme. But earlier this week, the 26-year-old center said he's ready to go.

"It's coming along real well," he said. "I played in that last preseason game, got some time in, and it's coming back. This week will be a great week, and then I'll go full-go at it. I'm feeling pretty good right now."

Said Sims: "I see Spence not missing a beat from last year. (In the preseason finale), it felt like old times."

At right tackle, the Seahawks look ready to go into the season without the services of Locklear. Willis will probably make his first NFL start in Locklear's place.

"I'm very, very pleased with how he is playing," coach Mike Holmgren said of Willis.

Seattle's offensive line has taken a lot of criticism since 2005, when it was widely mentioned as one of the league's best. The unit has added a new starter every year since then, and Wahle's addition makes this season no different.

Once again, the Seahawks are hoping to get back to that elite level.

"There have been a couple years when we haven't been as good as people want us to be," Jones said. "But still, the guys have been working hard trying to get it done. We'll do whatever we've got to do to make this team better and get wins. That's the No. 1 thing: getting wins."

Time will tell whether this year's line has what it takes to help jump-start a broken-down run game. All the Seahawks linemen know is that the pressure is on -- again.

"Every year, we're under pressure," Spencer said. "But we don't look at it like that. Every year, we've got to go out and do our job. With our new offensive line coach, we'll definitely be ready for games.

"… As an offensive lineman, you've got to learn to have con trolled aggression. If you let the pressure get to you, you'll have a hard time playing with controlled aggression."
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA