Curhan Talks of First Workouts With Seahawks

Former Cal offensive tackle Jake Curhan, now a member of the Seattle Seahawks, concluded his first minicamp with his new team over the weekend.

He said he is adapting to his new situation and adjusting to the difference between pro and college.

“Everything is much more detail-oriented,” Curhan said in a recent Zoom call with members of the Bay Area media. “I think that is a product of being in an environment where football is your job rather than something you have to mix with a full school and academic schedule.

“In terms of terminology and playbook it is not all that different from what Coach (Bill) Musgrave had us running at Cal and I think that is a pretty consistent thing across the league. The Senior Bowl terminology was very similar. When Coach Musgrave first came into Cal a lot of the info sheets still had Raiders and Broncos logos on them. What we are running up here and what is run at Cal and what is run across the NFL are close to being the same.”

The fact Curhan went undrafted came as a mild surprise. One reason teams passed on him might have been a report on draft weekend by Ian Rappaport of NFL.com that Curhan had a medical issue related to his heart. Curhan said that should not have been a concern.

"It's something I've known about for some time," he said. He did not specify the condition but added, “It's not something that has ever caused me to have any issues working out or playing.

"Kind of unfortunate that it got tweeted out like that and ended up working out that way, but it's not something I'm too concerned about. It's something we've known about for some time."

Obviously, it was not enough to bother the Seahawks or several other teams that contacted Curhan after the draft. He said there was quite a bit of interest. Sometimes it is better for a player to go undrafted and pick his spot rather than be committed to the team that picked him. Curhan is an example of that.

 "At the end of the day I picked the Seahawks because I thought there was a really good opportunity up here,” Curhan said. “There weren't a lot of draft picks, and offensive line was an area of need. So felt like it was a good opportunity for me to go show how I can help the team."

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has long complained about the team’s lack of pass protection. They allowed 3.1 sacks per game last year, 29th of the 32 NFL teams.

A tackle at Cal, Curhan was seen by some teams as a guard. “A lot of it depends on what teams you were talking to,” Curhan said. “A lot of teams saw me as a tackle first, who has the flexibility to play guard. At the Senior Bowl, they threw me in there (at guard) just to see how I would do on the inside. At minicamp, I have been playing mostly guard. ...I think it is going to be a mix.”

He is aware of the differences between the positions. “The speed of everything,” he said when asked what is the biggest difference. “It all happens a lot faster on the inside. The transition in the run game has been easier because it’s similar. In the pass game I’m not the most athletically gifted individual in the world. But I was able to be successful at tackle because I understood my angles, I understood the plays and what I had to do there.

© Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports

Curhan celebrates a Cal score

“It’s learning a whole different system, whether it’s angles in the pass game or what to expect given different looks.Once I see more, I will be able to start picking that stuff up better and I will get better and better at the position.

“I am not as good at it yet as I am at tackle. But I also have 40 games of experience at tackle. It’s a new challenge, a new thing to learn. I am excited to get working on it.”

Curhan and Seattle coach Pete Carroll are both graduates of Redwood High in Larkspur (Marin County)/

“It wasn’t a factor in the decision, but he called me the day after the draft and talked about Marin things,” Curhan said. “He is a big fan of Mt. Tam.”.

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