Super-sized J'Marcus Webb looms large for Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks' J'Marcus Webb walks at an NFL football practice Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) Seattle Seahawks' J'Marcus Webb walks at an NFL football practice Thursday, May 26, 2016, in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) Photo: AP Photo: AP Image 1 of / 30 Caption Close Super-sized J'Marcus Webb looms large for Seahawks 1 / 30 Back to Gallery

RENTON -- New Seahawks offensive lineman J'Marcus Webb is a big deal.

The 6-foot-7, 330-pound Webb is living large after signing a two-year, $6 million free-agent contract with the Seahawks in March, and he's finally ready to get onto the field and start proving he's worth the team's sizable investment.

After being sidelined for most of Seattle's organized team activities (OTAs) with a calf strain, Tuesday's minicamp practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center marked the first practice open to the press in which Webb was able to fully participate. The former starter in Chicago and Oakland took his place on the first-team offensive line at right tackle, lining up alongside 6-foot-6, 324-pound Germain Ifedi and giving the Seahawks a noticeably gargantuan right side of the line.

"You can't get any bigger than that," head coach Pete Carroll said after Tuesday's practice. "Both of those guys are very similar athletes, and I'm hoping that they'll really grow together as a really good right side of the line."

Webb said he was excited to get on the practice field with his new teammates, particularly the youngsters like Ifedi.

"It feels great to get back there and compete, work with the guys," he said. "We've got some young guys in the line, and it's good to get a little bit of leadership going so they can see me physically instead of just talking about it."

A six-year NFL veteran, Webb enjoyed a bounceback season of sorts with the Raiders in 2015, starting 16 games at guard after signing a one-year deal with Oakland last offseason. He was rewarded with nearly $267,000 in performance-based pay bonuses after the season but was still allowed to leave via free agency.

After signing with Seattle, Webb was immediately listed as a tackle, the position at which he struggled with the Bears from 2010 to 2012 and with the Minnesota Vikings from 2013 to 2014. Though there was some thought that he might be kicked inside to guard following the selection of Ifedi -- a right tackle at Texas A&M -- Seattle instead moved Ifedi to guard to begin his pro career, penciling in Webb to start outside at right tackle.

On Tuesday, Webb said he wasn't promised playing time at any specific spot.

"They just told me that they wanted me to come in and compete," he said. "Whatever position that I competed for, I'm going to do my best -- be the best that I can and work well with the guy that they have here."

Webb brings some veteran leadership alongside his size, and said he's liked what he's seen so far out of Ifedi, whom he calls a "great talent."

"Crazy impressive," Webb said of Ifedi. "The way he speaks, the way he carries himself and the way he works is just phenomenal. I just hope that it'll continue."

Webb thinks he's a great fit for Tom Cable's zone-blocking scheme ("I love it because we want to run the ball -- attack, attack, attack") and said he expects to start fast with a team he used to admire from afar.

"Looking from a distance, I'm like, 'Man, they're a force to be reckoned with,'" he said. "And now that I'm a part of it, I couldn't be happier."

If nothing else, Webb and Ifedi should provide an intimidation factor with their sheer size.

"I sure hope so," Webb said when asked if he thought he and Ifedi might be the biggest guard/tackle combo in the NFL. "And if not, you let me know and I'll continue to eat."

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