'Comfortable Being Uncomfortable': Seattle Seahawks OL McClendon Curtis Pushing For Roster Spot

Emerging as a legitimate candidate for a roster spot this offseason thanks to his versatility, McClendon Curtis continues to make waves for the Seahawks up front.

Seattle Seahawks guard McClendon Curtis between reps during a drill at training camp. / Corbin Smith/Seahawks On SI

RENTON, Wash. - With preparations underway for a Week 2 road game against the Buffalo Bills, McClendon Curtis feared the worst when his agent's number popped up on his phone last September, thinking the Las Vegas Raiders would be letting him go off their practice squad.

Luckily for Curtis, the agent had far better news to share with his client. With starting tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas both going down with injuries in the season opener, the Seahawks had come calling with an opportunity for the undrafted rookie lineman out of Chattanooga to sign onto their active roster as much-needed depth at tackle and guard.

Growing up rooting for Seattle and idolizing players such as Marshawn Lynch and Michael Bennett, Curtis wasn't going to pass up on the chance to play for Pete Carroll, who personally reached out to him after his agent called about coming to the Pacific Northwest.

"The day before practice, Pete called me and he was like 'Do you want to come to Seattle and be on the active roster?' And I was like 'yeah, for sure!' Seattle was one of my favorite teams growing up and just being a fan, especially around the Super Bowl time, that was my team," Curtis smiled.

Quickly packing his bags and heading back west, Curtis didn't get to see much action for the Seahawks as a rookie, playing a grand total of four special teams snaps. But while he often was held out as a healthy scratch, he remained on the active roster for the entirety of the season, a sign of what the organization thought of him as a developmental prospect.

Fast forwarding to his second training camp - and his first with Seattle - Curtis has been one of the most intriguing players to watch over the course of the offseason. Throughout the spring, with incumbent Anthony Bradford battling an ankle injury, he received all of the first-team reps at right guard during OTAs and mandatory minicamp instead of third-round pick Christian Haynes.

Showing off his outstanding versatility, Curtis has been seeing action at right tackle in the first two days of camp, and coach Mike Macdonald expects him to stay there working behind George Fant while Lucas remains on the PUP list recovering from knee surgery. From his perspective, being "comfortable with being uncomfortable" has been a goal throughout the offseason, making sure he was ready to play wherever the Seahawks needed him to increase his value to the team.

While many NFL linemen would see bouncing around the offensive line as a challenge, Curtis has been doing it since his days with the Mocs against FCS competition, sometimes seeing multiple series at different positions in the same game. As a senior, per Pro Football Focus charting, he logged 499 snaps at left tackle and 226 snaps at right guard, often moving inside while also flipping to the other side of the line, which can be quite tricky from a footwork and hand usage standpoint.

"Most people say don't go the wrong way, like one of my coaches in college would tell me don't go the wrong way, but just make sure you have your set, maybe it takes like a play or two to get back adjusted," Curtis explained. "But I love it because it keeps my hips balanced and keeps you being able to use both your hands. People don't understand how hard it is, like we play right tackle all day, you punch with your right hand, but you go to the left side now you're like, I gotta punch with this left hand."

Though he finds it easier to transition inside from tackle to guard than vice versa, Curtis' extensive experience playing both positions on both sides of the line has made moving around at the NFL level as simple as riding a bike, allowing him to stand out for new line coach Scott Huff, who he lauded for his emphasis on teaching and technique.

Aside from impressing Macdonald, who has praised Curtis for his versatility and mentality on multiple occasions, the second-year blocker has also caught the attention of several of his teammates, including veteran left guard Laken Tomlinson, who gushed about his ability to jump into the lineup at multiple positions without a hitch after Thursday's practice.

"That's so valuable for the offensive line," Tomlinson said of Curtis' Swiss army knife capabilities. "Being able to play either tackle, guard, or going from right tackle to left tackle. You just never know. I've been in a ton of offensive lines where you never know, if somebody goes down and someone needs to step up, having that next man up. And honestly, if you have someone like that in the line who just comes in, who won't skip a beat, who is in operation in the offensive line and in the offense, it's fantastic. So I super appreciate that from him."

Seahawks guard McClendon Curtis looks on during a blocking drill at mandatory minicamp. / Corbin Smith/All Seahawks

With camp just getting started and padded practices coming soon, Curtis still may face an uphill battle as he vies for a roster spot in a highly competitive offensive line group. As things stand, Bradford and Haynes look primed to duel for the vacant right guard spot, while Fant returned in free agency as the clear insurance option if Lucas isn't ready for the start of the season, which puts his spot on a bit more tenuous ground.

But at the same time, the Seahawks don't have any other blockers on the roster who offer as much positional flexibility as Curtis, who can play both tackle and both guard spots in a pinch. Coupled with the fact he's only 24 years old and has much room for growth as a player, he certainly has improved his stock in recent months and he has been playing substantial snaps with the first two units since spring practice opened, suggesting he's very much in the mix to win a swing lineman role.

Embracing the uncomfortable playing up and down the offensive line, Curtis believes his chances at sticking on Seattle's roster boil down to consistency and continuing to learn everything he can from the likes of Tomlinson and Fant like a sponge. A true jack of all trades and a master of none - at least at this stage of his young career - his goal revolves around offering steady, reliable performance at multiple positions to make himself too valuable to become expendable.

"I want to be consistent. Being a consistent guy, bringing it every day, help them where I can, and just stay focused. That's the biggest thing for me."