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Brady HendersonESPN
SEATTLE – The Seattle Seahawks are expected to re-sign the center Ethan Pocic for a one-year contract, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Pocic, 25, started 14 games last season, finding a home in the center after playing both guard positions in the first three seasons. He was 16th last season on ESPN’s Pass Block Win Rate as the center. LSU’s choice for the second round of 2017 made 30 matches in four seasons.
Pocic’s return comes a day after the Seahawks agreed to acquire guard Gabe Jackson from the Las Vegas Raiders for a fifth round pick in 2021, ESPN sources Adam Schefter and Jeremy Fowler said.
The movements of the Seahawks’ offensive line brought more intrigue, with quarterback Russell Wilson publicly exposing his frustrations with the organization last month. What fueled some of those frustrations were all the blows he took behind an offensive line that he wanted to see improved.
The Seahawks needed a replacement in a guard position with Mike Iupati retiring and Jordan Simmons, who shared time with Iupati last season, not being hired as a restricted free agent. Seattle could re-sign Simmons for less than what an FRD proposal would cost.
In addition to Pocic, Seattle has three other O-line holders from last season under contract for at least another year. Left tackle Duane Brown and right tackle Brandon Shell are signed until 2021, while right guard Damien Lewis, the third round pick last year, has three years left on his debut contract.
The Seahawks hired BJ Finney from a free agency last March to be the starting center, but he appeared at the camp out of shape and was defeated by Pocic.
Pocic becomes the third player the Seahawks have re-signed since the opening of the negotiation window on Monday. The others are defensive striker Poona Ford and special coach Nick Bellore. Seattle made two free agent additions: cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon and tight end Gerald Everett.
The Seahawks started the week with about $ 17 million in capitalization space, so they may have to make moves to free up more space.
Pocic’s return to Seattle on a one-year contract was first reported by the NFL Network.