The Seattle Seahawks’ already thin offensive line got even thinner on Sunday when guard Demetrius Knox was carted off the field with a ‘nasty’ knee injury.
Knox joins starter Mike Iupati, rookie guard Phil Haynes, Jordan Simmons, George Fant and Jamarco Jones as injured members of the o-line, which forced the team to get creative with some of their offensive line pairings on Sunday.
That allowed 2017 second round pick Ethan Pocic, who has been a disappointment in his Seattle career thus far, to show off his versatility.
After starting at left guard with Seattle’s number one offense, Pocic came into the game after Knox’s injury and continued to play well.
He has played center, guard and tackle for the Seahawks, and his versatility and strong performance on Sunday not only make him a near-lock for a roster spot, but could make him a starter in Week 1.
“He plays solid with the first group,” coach Pete Carroll commented after the game. “It’s great he was able to do that. He continues to give us real flexibility. Can play a lot of spots for us. Really good at playing center for us. He can play tackle if we need him to.”
Pocic has had his struggles at the NFL level, but entering year three it appears the versatile offensive lineman might be finding his groove.
The timing couldn’t be more perfect, as the team may need him to contribute in multiple spots this season – and he may find himself starting as soon as Week 1.
