THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Trying everything to plug that hole in the line

Most football fans have seen the video at one time or another.

Former Atlanta coach Jerry Glanville, one of the game’s all-time characters, was caught on a live microphone giving grief to an official who was standing near him.

This happened to be when the league was enduring a lockout, and was forced to use replacement officials.

After a contentious call, Glanville got in the face of the ref and said: “This is the N-F-L, which stands for ‘Not for Long’ if you keep making calls like that.

“You’re going to wind up working in a grocery store.”

Beyond Glanville’s good ol’ boy humor, he wasn’t a very good coach or personnel evaluator (he traded Brett Favre after Falcons owner Arthur Blank drafted him in the first round).

But you know what?

Glanville actually gifted us with some “fried chicken wisdom” in the midst of all his chatter."

Jerry was right that the NFL could mean “not for long.”

For players, coaches, executives and, yes, officials … the league isn’t exactly sentimental.

Do your job at an elite level.

Or, as Jerry said, go work in a grocery story.

SEATTLE has landed a new center, hired to protect Geno Smith and throw some key blocks in the running game.

And I promise you, Connor Williams knows all about life according to Jerry Granville.

At the beginning of this week, Williams suddenly popped up in the battle to play center for the Seahawks — who had not indicated they were hunting to fill that position.

“Williams likely will be thrown into the competition at center, where Seattle has the most uncertainty on its offensive line,” said a story in Seattle Sports.

“Olu Oluwatimi, a fifth-round pick in 2023, was the presumptive starter, but Nick Harris has been thrown into the mix in the past week, and coach Mike Macdonald said Monday the competition was on between the pair.”

The Hawks, though, are hunting for talent.

Williams is coming off a season cut short by injury after tearing the ACL in his left knee in Week 14 while playing for Miami.

At the time of his injury, Williams was rated as one of the top centers in the NFL by Pro Football Focus.

Williams visited Seattle at the start of training camp last month.

The issue at that point may have been money, since Seattle has one of the lower reserves — cash and cap — in the league.

It appears that the Seahawks have worked out an agreement with Williams’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, something in the $3 million range.

Signing Williams merely continues Seattle’s search for a long-term center.

Uluwatimi has done a decent job since he was drafted in the fifth round two years ago.

The Hawks, though, are hunting for someone to replace Justin Britt, who came aboard in 2024 and stuck around until 2029.

Britt suffered a torn ACL, and after an off-season rehab, he signed with Houston.

Unfortunately, Justin encountered some personal problems, and rather than deal with free agency (or going back to the Texans), he decided to retire.

THE MIDDLE of the Seahawks’ interior line is being shuffled around, and this courtship with Williams is simply the next piece.

The Hawks had problems with the center of both lines a year ago, and Macdonald has reached out almost everywhere to fill some gaps.

First-round draft pick Byron Murphy is expected to anchor the defensive line, and the Hawks have the luxury of several solid contributors (Uchenna Nwosu, etc.) already on the roster and rehabbing from injuries.

Williams could be a rock that changes the offense.

Charles Cross will start at left tackle with newcomer Laken Tomlinson at left guard.

Anthony Bradford or rookie Christian Haynes appear to be the options at right guard, with veteran George Fant expected at right tackle until Abraham Lucas (knee issue) is able to get back on the field after missing most of last season.

There are jigsaw puzzles on both sides of the ball.

If the pieces don’t fit, well, they won’t be there for long.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”