At this time last year, the Seattle Seahawks looked like a team that was gearing up for a rebuild. They had traded Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos and longtime linebacker Bobby Wagner was released, signing with the NFC West rival Los Angeles Rams.
Fast forward to the current day and the Seahawks are in a great position. They aren’t close to rebuilding as they are looking to build off of a playoff appearance from last season. Wagner was brought back into the fold this year as Seattle looks to take some more steps forward.
The pieces are certainly in place for that to happen as they have excellent building blocks on both sides of the ball. In the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, they added two more in cornerback Devon Witherspoon and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
With Smith-Njigba in the fold, the Seahawks have possibly the best wide receiver trio in the NFL. Add to that the running game led by Kenneth Walker II and the tight end duo of Noah Fant and Will Dissly and Geno Smith is surrounded by some high-end talent.
If there is any work left to do on offense it is to continue adding reliable veteran depth to the trenches. That is where Brad Spielberger of PFF believes the Seahawks should look to with one more move before training camp, bringing back a familiar face; offensive tackle George Fant.
“Seattle found both of its starting tackles in the 2022 NFL Draft with first-rounder Charles Cross and second-rounder Abraham Lucas, but the return of a familiar face in George Fant to serve as the swing tackle once again could solidify the unit. The vibes are high in Seattle with linebacker Bobby Wagner making his way back to the team this offseason, so why not Fant as well if he can’t land a starting gig elsewhere?
Injuries derailed his 2022 campaign, but the seventh-year tackle earned a career-high 75.1 pass-blocking grade in 2021, playing almost exclusively at left tackle. His 3.2% pressure rate allowed was the sixth lowest among tackles on the season.”
Fant won’t be returning to the Jets and at this point in the offseason it will be tough to find a starting gig somewhere around the league. Unless an injury occurs and opens a spot up, he is likely heading to reserve duties for the 2023 season.
If that is the case, why not return to a place that he knows well in Seattle under head coach Pete Carroll? He would provide elite insurance for the Seahawks after proving that he can handle the job at either left or right tackle as they have their bookends of the future in Cross and Lucas locked in.
With some injury concerns, a swing tackle role could be what is best for Fant at this point in his career. It is a role that the Seahawks currently could upgrade and should be open to bringing back the soon-to-be 31-year-old Fant, who spent the last three seasons with the New York Jets.
