Luke Joeckel signs!

[Warden]

Paid too much

HMMM

just look at the value of what OL are getting right now in FA. We took a short term gamble on a highly skilled player that quite has not put his game together. If a change of scenery corrects things, then we can extend him. Good move by the Hawks. We all wanted them to target OL this FA. You guys really didn't expect them to target the guys you thought they should did, you?

 

[Warden]

He is 25

 

[jakedog56]

Ummm, yes? I like Fant's story and I think he has the athleticism to perhaps be a good LT. But he was a train wreck last year. Granted not as much of a train wreck as the RT shit show we had.

Amend that to he was a trainwreck at times last year. Other times he was ok. Considering the situation he was put in I don't think we could have expected more.

He should have been a practice squad guy or a #4 tackle last year, not a starter. I think that he could still develop into a decent player but he shouldn't be starting again this year. His performance last year was more of the fault of management and coaches, not his own.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Paid too much

HMMM

just look at the value of what OL are getting right now in FA. We took a short term gamble on a highly skilled player that quite has not put his game together. If a change of scenery corrects things, then we can extend him. Good move by the Hawks. We all wanted them to target OL this FA. You guys really didn't expect them to target the guys you thought they should did, you?

Well Zeitler was the best FA available but also not REALLY a position of need given our tight cap room. Our guard situation wasn't that terrible, it was the OT position that was abysmal. We definitely marched out the two worst OTs in the NFL.

That said, I was NOT a fan of Okung even if he came cheap (although he signed and did not come cheap) given his injury history. Continuity is big in the NFL and whenever Okung was out our OL suffered because of it. I was kind of rooting for Whitworth but he's obviously fine to just get fat/happy in LA and retire in a sunny/warm location.

I would've given the Luke signing a B or A if it was $5M or less. $8M is a bit much, but it's a 1 year prove it deal which often works out. Still, it hurts a bit that we lose that $8M this year and only have about $12M left after rookies.

Sounds like Seattle is done giving out extensions at this point and we had one of the least impact free agent departure groups. Thinking we'll use that $12M to just sign some depth and possibly save some for next year.

 

[jakedog56]

Joeckel's season ending injuries are worrisome. The broken ankle does not seem too bad as there are no reports of ligament/tendon damage but the ripped out knee is possibly an issue.

$8 million seems a bit pricey for possibly damaged goods but hopefully the risk pays off.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

And to that point, Joeckel is a guard now... so if the plan is to plug Joeckel at guard and shift Ifedi to right tackle oh jesus.... Ifedi did not look that great at all which is no surprise given his raw technique.

The ideal scenario and one we should all pray for is Ifedi somehow figures out all the technique this offseason while suffering no injury setbacks, plays right tackle, Glowinksi shifts to RG and Joeckel plays LG and we have a hole we fill at LT via draft. I did all this just fine in Madden and it worked, so it should work in real life, right?

In all honesty given $8M this year and obviously we could absorb it, should've just signed Zeitler and called it a day. I appreciate the attention to guard since Wilson is smaller and the NFL has shifted a huge focus to interior pass rush (hence why Seattle got destroyed by good guard play since we have jack crap at DT and Bennett/Avril can be nullified by a simple step up into the pocket), but Joeckel is bleh. Certainly doesn't make me sleep any better knowing we have another 'project' on the O-Line.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

For those thinking the Seahawks should of signed Zeitler, that just wasn't going to happen. If the Seahawks would of matched the offer, the Browns would of simply upped their offer. They have so much cap space they could afford to buy a second round pick for 16 million. Zeitler was just not in the cards. Given the out of control market, Seahawks did well to be able to sign a young OL who has been a disappointment but has up side, not that long ago he was the #2 over all pick in the draft. 8 million sounds like a lot, but in this market it was low risk, high reward signing. If he fails the Seahawks get their 8 million in cap space back next year, if he does well they go to the head of the line to be able to resign him and if he signs elsewhere then they get a comp pick.

 

[MrS]

For those saying we dont need Gs, tj lang is coming for a visit

 

[flyerhawk]

For those saying we dont need Gs, tj lang is coming for a visit

We don't need one at 12 million a year. TJ Lang might make sense at 3 or 4 million a year.

 

[MrS]

Lang will cost more than that

 

[blstoker]

Joekel was moved to guard last year to make room for Beachum at LT, but he only played 4 games there, so it's not like he is so entrenched that he can't move back outside. At the very least I think he's our RT.

 

[flyerhawk]

Joekel was moved to guard last year to make room for Beachum at LT, but he only played 4 games there, so it's not like he is so entrenched that he can't move back outside. At the very least I think he's our RT.

Ideally, as it stands, Fant really steps up his game in the offseason and can be a reasonably serviceable LT next year and Joeckel can slide to RT and provide infinitely better service at that position by simply being mediocre.

 

[blstoker]

Ideally, as it stands, Fant really steps up his game in the offseason and can be a reasonably serviceable LT next year and Joeckel can slide to RT and provide infinitely better service at that position by simply being mediocre.

That would be the best situation, IMO, and what I'm really hoping for.

 

[MrS]

If we get lang he just might be our RT, leaving LT for joeckell

 

[Anointed One]

Fans crack me up... Last year, the complaints where that we didn't spend money on our OL... Now the team is committing to doing so, it's too much... I like this signing very much... For one, he's 25 years old... If he pans out and plays well, he would've had a year with this young OL and then we'd have a great shot at extending him next season... If he's injury prone, then we move in a different direction next season... Broken bones aren't nearly as bad to come back from than that of torn ligaments... Smart signing...

 

[MKHawk]

Some folk will never like this signing and then again, some folk'll.

 

[Mariners_44]

Fans crack me up... Last year, the complaints where that we didn't spend money on our OL... Now the team is committing to doing so, it's too much... I like this signing very much... For one, he's 25 years old... If he pans out and plays well, he would've had a year with this young OL and then we'd have a great shot at extending him next season... If he's injury prone, then we move in a different direction next season... Broken bones aren't nearly as bad to come back from than that of torn ligaments... Smart signing...

I agree 100%!

I'd also like to add that he IS an experienced lineman as opposed to a former basketball player or career defensive lineman. Is he Walter Jones, no, but that's not what we should expect. Tom Cable is highly regarded in the league as we all know, but he has been given a sack of bolts to work with the last few years; that could be his decision or upper management, we don't actually know. All i am saying is let's give him some actual lineman to work with, and Joekel is a great start in my opinion. Land TJ Lang and a RB to compete and our free agency is as good as it could have gone. That'll leave the draft to fill the defensive holes, consider extending Kam, and we will be set for 2017. That's a good off season by my expectation, but the unexpected cherry on top would be making a trade for Joe Thomas or someone of that caliber.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Fans crack me up... Last year, the complaints where that we didn't spend money on our OL... Now the team is committing to doing so, it's too much... I like this signing very much... For one, he's 25 years old... If he pans out and plays well, he would've had a year with this young OL and then we'd have a great shot at extending him next season... If he's injury prone, then we move in a different direction next season... Broken bones aren't nearly as bad to come back from than that of torn ligaments... Smart signing...

If we went and signed Zeitler to a 1 year $50M deal and thus became one of the highest paid OL teams, it'd still be stupid.

Spending money on the OL is good, but wise spending is better. That said, OL and TEs are getting PAID this year. Tight ends especially, jesus.

 

[JMR]

Decent signing. I don't know the full contract details but have heard it described as "up to" $8M so that sounds like incentives are involved. Some "experts" describe him as a guard but I'm not so sure. If he does play G here thoug

 

[dude82]

Decent signing. I don't know the full contract details but have heard it described as "up to" $8M so that sounds like incentives are involved. Some "experts" describe him as a guard but I'm not so sure. If he does play G here thoug

The details haven't been released as far as I know, but I've heard the same thing you have. It would make no sense for all $8 million to be guaranteed with his injury history and I think the details of the deal will confirm that it's not a fully guaranteed deal.