Carolina Panthers to host Frank Omiyale

The Carolina Panthers are familiar with former Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Frank Omiyale, because he played for the Panthers back in the 2007 season. Omiyale is an unrestricted free agent, and the 30-year-old Tennessee Tech product could be reunited with the Carolina Panthers. According to a tweet from Adam Caplan, Omiyale will visit the Panthers today.

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Frank Omiyale has no place as a starter in this league, because he is absolutely horrendous in pass protection. He was horrible there with the Chicago Bears and Panthers when given significant playing time, and Omiyale is a disaster at tackle. That’s where pass protection is put at a premium, and that’s where Omiyale’s struggles are showcased.

Although he is atrocious in pass protection, Omiyale is a decent run blocker. He has always been above the average in that regard, and that’s why he is best off kicking inside and playing at guard instead of tackle. Even though he is not an ideal starter, I would much rather see Omiyale at guard than at tackle. He can play both positions, but the disparity between his pass blocking and run blocking shows that he is best off playing the guard position where run blocking is placed at a higher level.

The Panthers are just looking at Omiyale as a depth guy to fill in at either position if needed, and he received almost no playing time last year with the Seahawks. When he did receive significant playing time with the Panthers and Bears, let’s just say that pass rushers were regularly feasting on him. But his solid run blocking and versatility make him a useful depth signing, so long as he isn’t pressed into starting duty often (started just one game with the Seahawks in 2012, appeared in all 16 as a backup).

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter @SorianoJoe.