Seahawks try out Justin Britt--remember him?--further amplifying B.J. Finney’s drop
As if signs weren’t piling up enough already that B.J. Finney so far isn’t the answer at center the Seahawks thought he’d be, there’s this:
They are checking out the former starter they cut—because they signed Finney.
As the rest of the team played its mock game at CenturyLink Field Wednesday, Seattle’s player-personnel side hosted Justin Britt for a COVID-19 test so he could get in the team facility in Renton for a free-agent tryout.
Yes, the same Justin Britt who was the Seahawks’ Pro Bowl alternate at center and trigger man for Russell Wilson for four years—until they released him in April. That was six months into the 29-year old’s long recovery from a season-ending knee injury in October then reconstructive surgery.
Releasing him saved Seattle $8.5 million against this year salary cap. Britt’s $11.42 million cap charge was scheduled to be the fifth-highest on the team in 2020. That was behind only franchise pillars Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner, Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown and top wide receiver Tyler Lockett.
The Seahawks on Wednesday also hosted free-agent wide receiver Paul Richardson, their second-round draft choice in 2014. He left Seattle in March 2018 to sign a $40 million contract with Washington, with $20 million guaranteed. He only played two seasons of that five-year deal with Washington before that team let him go after his second season-ending injury in as many years. He had 48 total catches in the last two years since leaving Seattle. His 2019 season ended after 28 receptions because of an injured hamstring.
“Both guys ended their season with injury, so we need to see what those guys look like,” Carroll said. “Obviously, we know a lot about both of them, and we think highly of both those guys. So we’ll see how it goes.”
Carroll said he does not know if Britt has been cleared to play 10 months after he tore knee ligaments early in Seattle’s win at Atlanta.
“I don’t know that yet,” the coach said. “We have to physical him, and all that stuff.”
If the team deems Britt healthy enough to contribute this season, they could sign him back as a free agent—at their price and cap number, not his. That would be at or near the veteran minimum. That would be about one-eighth the cap charge he would have had if the Seahawks had not released him four months ago.
The mere fact they are trying out Britt shows how far Finney has fallen from replacing him at center.
Seattle released Britt in April five weeks after the team signed Finney to a two-year, $8 million with $4.5 million guaranteed. That’s big bucks for a Seahawks offensive lineman. The Seahawks have for years skimped on salaries at that position group, choosing to spend the bulk of their salary-cap space each year on Wilson, Wagner, Lockett and veterans at other positions.
The majority of Finney’s first four seasons in the NFL with Pittsburgh through 2019 was at left guard. He moved to center to start two games last season when the NFL suspended Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey.
Finney was Seattle’s first-team center for the first no-pads practices of training camp this month. But unlike any other offseason he could not benefit from learning the offense on the field during minicamps and organized team activities practices in May and June. The coronavirus pandemic canceled those. He’s walked inside the team facility for the first time just this month.
For the last two weeks, Ethan Pocic has been the starting center. That included again in Wednesday’s mock game. Finney was again the number-two center. He has also been the backup at left guard to returning starter Mike Iupati and to rookie starter Damien Lewis some at right guard this month.
Starting-caliber centers don’t back up at guard with 2 1/2 weeks until the opener.
With only five practices remaining until roster cuts from 80 to 53 for the start of the regular season it is now almost certain Pocic will be Wilson’s center for the opener at Atlanta Sept. 13. He was Seattle’s second-round pick in 2017. So far he’s been a career backup guard and tackle. Pocic is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
Finney apparently will be a reserve guaranteed $4.5 million guaranteed with the second-highest cap charge on the offensive line, behind only Brown.
What’s happened to him this month?
“He’s just learning the system, you know,” Carroll said. “It’s just catching up and making sure he’s playing fast and helping the guys around him play well.
“Ethan’s been around us a long time and he’s a little bit ahead in that regard. But B.J.’s going to get it done. We’re just not forcing it at him with the first group as he’s learning, because I’m trying to, I want good continuity with the guards and the whole group, and for Russ. So it’s a little more in Ethan’s favor in that regard.
“But we’ve got two full weeks to go (before the opener). He’s done really well. He’s really applying himself. He’s capable. He’s going to handle it all. Just, I didn’t think we should go through his learning curve for Russ and the other fellas when we are really trying to get together on the offensive line at this point.”
Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer elaborated on Finney’s struggles learning Seattle’s offense. He mentioned Finney has struggled picking up all of the offense, which is different in terminology, play calls, audibles with Wilson and blocking schemes than what he ran for four years with Pittsburgh.
The Seahawks are learning center is the one position on the line that is not just plug in from another system and play. There’s a reason Wilson has had only two full-time centers in his career: Max Unger and Britt.
“B.J., it’s hard, right? You are coming in and you are trying to learn the system,” Schottenheimer said Tuesday. “As a center I would say it has probably the hardest on him.
“Not because he’s not learning it, but he’s got the most to learn of all those guys.”
This story was originally published August 27, 2020 at 7:37 AM.
