RENTON -- Even though Pete Carroll got a glowing review from LSU head coach Ed Orgeron about what kind of player third-round pick Damien Lewis is, he's still been impressed by the ability of the team's rookie right guard.
Despite the challenges of the current season and not having any normal OTAs or mini-camp time to be on the field with his new teammates, Lewis is in pole position to earn the starting job at right guard for the team this season.
"I'm surprised even though we heard so many good things about Damien Lewis and how he was (that) he would be able to handle this stuff right out of the chute. He has. So he's right in the middle of competition to be a starter," Carroll said on Wednesday.
Carroll and general manager John Schneider were extremely excited about Lewis' selection after the draft back in the spring. Lewis was going to have the chance to earn a starting job and Orgeron's endorsement was one of the factors that excited the team about his potential.
Left tackle Duane Brown referenced Lewis' name immediately when asked who he's been impressed by so far in training camp.
"I think Damien Lewis is going to be a baller. He looks really good," Brown said.
"He didn't have a typical rookie offseason, you know, and he had to learn everything at home, you know, and he was able to really retain a lot of information and be able to see him physically in practice one on ones he's been been stellar, you know, we have we have a good group of D lineman as well, you know, and those guys get after it, make us work, you know, and he has a lot of abilities strong plays are great leverage, they can move well so that's been probably the biggest so like I said, you know, we have a lot of guys have been standing out but you know, from him stepping in as a rookie, his first NFL action.
"You can't really simulate anything outside of actually playing," Brown said. "So we just have to get our work in practice. So far, it's been really good. We'll have adversity at some point that we'll have to overcome and that's what builds the character. And so whenever that happens, we'll face it."
"He didn't have a typical rookie offseason and he had to learn everything at home and he was able to really retain a lot of information. And to be able to see him physically in practice, one-on-ones, he's been been stellar. We have we have a good group of-D lineman as well and those guys get after it, make us work and he has a lot of ability. Strong, plays are great leverage, he can move well. We have a lot of guys have been standing out but you know, from him stepping in as a rookie, his first NFL action, he's been he's been the for me."
Lewis has gotten most of the run with the first-team offensive line through the first week of training camp. The group has mainly consisted of Lewis and Brandon Shell on the right side, Duane Brown and Mike Iupati on the left and Ethan Pocic at center. Cedric Ogbuehi has rotated in at left tackle for Brown and B.J. Finney has also split reps at center. However, Lewis has been pretty firmly entrenched as the
Photo Credit: Seahawks third-round pick Damien Lewis works on pass sets early in a practice with the team on August 18, 2020. (pool photo by Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times)