Before the offseason had a chance to even get under way, Russell Wilson made waves mere days after the Super Bowl when he told reporters he was tired of being “hit too much,” which helped spawn months of trade rumors.
Speculation ran rampant about Wilson potentially being dealt elsewhere and his agent made matters worse by releasing four teams his client would be willing to waive his no-trade clause to play for. The Seahawks tuned out the noise, however, instead continuing to build their roster around their star quarterback.
Among the major moves made to bolster the roster for another run at a championship, general manager John Schneider shipped a fifth round pick to the Raiders for reliable veteran Gabe Jackson in March, instantly upgrading pass protection in the interior. He's expected to start at right guard, while second-year lineman Damien Lewis will shift over to the left side.
Since entering the league in 2014, Jackson has consistently been one of the best at keeping his quarterback clean. Last season, though he received his lowest pass blocking grade of his career (69.9) from Pro Football Focus and allowed a career-worst 26 pressures, he wasn't charged with a single sack and only yielded two quarterback hits against Derek Carr. It was the fifth time in his career where he surrendered one or fewer sacks and two or fewer quarterback hits, further illustrating his reliability protecting quarterbacks.
With a multi-year extension in tow, h big of a difference will Jackson make for Seattle’s offensive line? And will he provide the answer needed to keep Wilson upright more often next season? Check out my latest film breakdown as I take a look at his biggest strengths and weaknesses.
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