Brown fitting right in with Seahawks
Three-time Pro Bowler expected to anchor Seattle’s struggling line and get ground game moving
RENTON, Wash. — The whirlwind past 10 days for three-time Pro Bowler Duane Brown finally ended with the standout left tackle calling a new city home.
It wasn’t a straightforward path for Brown from ending his holdout with Houston to arriving in Seattle as the newest member of the Seahawks. But, somehow, it ended up working very much in Brown’s favour.
“It’s worked out pretty good for me, I’ve got to say,” Brown said on Wednesday.
“I thought I did some great things in my career. I thought we had some great years there in Houston. To come here and immediately be a part of a contender and a chance to win, it’s worked out amazing. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
Before the NFL trade deadline, the Seahawks addressed their biggest issue by landing Brown from Houston, realizing the opportunity in front of them as contenders in the NFC could be jeopardized by a leaky offensive line.
It was a move the Seahawks first looked into back in August when expected starter George Fant was lost for the season to a knee injury, but the urgency of the trade deadline finally got the deal accomplished.
The entire trade ended up being an awkward, convoluted dance. The Seahawks agreed on Monday to send cornerback Jeremy Lane and two draft picks to Houston for Brown. But Lane failed his physical with the Texans and was returned to Seattle, causing the trade to be altered.
The sides eventually settled on Seattle sending a third-round pick in 2018 and a second-round pick in 2019 for Brown and Houston’s fifthround pick in 2018. The Seahawks will also get back a former starting cornerback in Lane, but are tight on salary cap room, even after reportedly altering the contract of quarterback Russell Wilson to clear space for Brown’s deal.
“I don’t expect him to do anything but help us,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said of Brown. “The experience though, you can’t replace that. You can’t do anything about that if you don’t have it. All you can do is be patient and so that’s what we’ve been doing for the last couple of years as our guys are growing. I think he’ll help our guys grow.”
Brown was a holdout through training camp and the first six games of the season for Houston as he sought a new contract. His current deal runs through the 2018 season. He never got a new deal and eventually reported last week. His made his debut last Sunday against Seattle, playing 68 of 71 snaps and looking like he hadn’t been sitting out for weeks.
“I was a bit nervous at first because it’s not quite the defence that you want to have to face on the road for your first game back, but I felt pretty good,” Brown said.
“I stayed in shape, I made sure I did some work on my own, so I wasn’t just going out there fresh-offthe-couch. There was a bit of rust I had to shake off, but I thought I performed pretty good.”
Seattle expects Brown to be its starting left tackle this week against Washington, taking over for Rees Odhiambo, who was inconsistent in his seven starts.
Making the transition easier is Brown’s familiarity with Seattle’s system. Brown started his career in Houston with Alex Gibbs as his offensive line coach. Seattle offensive line coach Tom Cable runs a very similar system to Gibbs, including similar terminology.
“You can tell he has a style to his play. He’s a really good fit for us that way,” Cable said. “Tough, rugged guy. He has the fortune, really early in his career, of playing in almost the identical system for about five, six years, so the transition is going quite well.”
While Brown is getting settled, the Seahawks will also face the oddity of welcoming back Lane after he was originally part of the trade. Carroll said Lane was expected back in Seattle late Wednesday and will rejoin the team on Thursday. Lane has been bothered by a groin injury and suffered a thigh bruise in last week’s game.
“We’re lucky we’re getting him back,” Carroll said. “We are better, the way this turned out.”
NOTES: Seattle offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell indicated that Eddie Lacy will be the primary running back Sunday vs. Washington.