The answer to one of the biggest questions facing the Seattle Seahawks in 2025 – about who will comprise the offensive line after it was considered among the worst in the NFL a year ago – will have to wait.
“There’s a lot of competition,” coach Mike Macdonald said Wednesday after the conclusion of the Seahawks’ mandatory minicamp. “We haven’t settled some of the spots, and that means we have a lot of guys that are options. So it’s exciting.”
Some fans, weary of promises that this will be the year the offensive line finally comes together, might use a different term.
But as Macdonald noted, the real answers won’t come until well into training camp and after the Seahawks have held contact practices, and maybe even after they have played some preseason games.
More than settling jobs, the team focused its offseason program – when no contact is allowed – on learning the schemes of new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and the outside zone blocking attack of new offensive line coach John Benton.
Both were hired after the firing of offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb and offensive line coach Scott Huff. The Seahawks ranked 28th in rushing yards and finished with the 31st-ranked offensive line in 2024, according to Pro Football Focus.
“I think we would like to make some decisions sooner than later (once camp begins),” Macdonald said. “But we’re going to let the play speak for itself. We’re not going to force the decision. We’re going to be intentional in what happens probably within the first two weeks.”
While not settling any position battles, minicamp and OTAs (Organized Team Activities) provided some clues about each spot.
With the offseason program complete, let’s look at what we saw:
Left tackle
Here is the one sure thing on Seattle’s line, with Charles Cross set to enter his fourth season at left tackle. The Seahawks this spring exercised a fifth-year option on Cross’ contract for the 2026 season guaranteeing him $17.56 million.
That’s likely to prelude to a longer extension over the next year and assures that Cross, picked with the No. 9 pick in the 2022 NFL draft – a selection the Seahawks received from Denver via the Russell Wilson trade – mans the left tackle spot for years to come.
Second-year player Michael Jerrell typically worked with the second team at left tackle with undrafted free agent Amari Kight on the third team. Veteran free-agent signee Josh Jones also saw some snaps at left tackle, and he might more rightly be viewed as the true backup there given that he’s the most likely of the reserves to be active on game day.
Left guard
This spot also appears a sure thing in terms of who is the Week 1 starter – rookie Grey Zabel, expected to take over for the departed Laken Tomlinson. Because Zabel, the 18th overall pick in the 2025 draft, has yet to play an NFL snap, it’s a little unknown how quickly he will acclimate to the pro game.
Macdonald said early results have been promising.
“Really excited about Grey,” Macdonald said Wednesday. “He is what we thought he was up to this point. He’s going to be that. … Really fired up to see him in the fall. The great competition, the one-on-ones, getting the pads on. It’s going to be a lot of fun to compete with the D-line.”
Second-year player Sataoa Laumea, who ended last season as the starting right guard, typically worked as the second-team left guard. With the Seahawks one offensive lineman shy of fielding three full units, Zabel often worked with the third team at left guard as well to get extra reps.
Center
Third-year player Olu Oluwatimi, who started the last eight games in 2024 after the stunning midseason retirement of Connor Williams, rotated throughout OTAs and minicamp with second-year player Jalen Sundell with the first-team offense, and it appears to be an open competition between those two.
Sundell also got snaps at guard, and his ability to play just about anywhere on the line makes him a candidate to be part of the usual gameday active roster even if he is not the starting center.
Rookie Federico Maranges worked as the primary third-team center, and his status as an International Player Pathway Program player pretty much assures he’ll be on the practice squad in 2025.
Second-year guard Christian Haynes also took snaps at center. But that doesn’t appear to be a position switch, just getting him some experience and seeing how it looks.
Right guard
Third-year player Anthony Bradford, who started the first 11 games at right guard in 2024 before suffering a season-ending ankle injury, rotated with Haynes with the starting offense and the second unit throughout the offseason program. This also appears to be a wide-open battle entering training camp.
Macdonald said Laumea also will factor into the right guard spot once camp arrives, even though he spent most of the offseason program on the left side.
Macdonald also seemed to indicate that Sundell could factor into the guard competition depending on what happens at center.
“We’ll see when the pads come on, because you have to work out the center position,” he said Wednesday when asked about right guard. “Taoa (Sataoa) is part of that equation. The rookies really haven’t seen live and in color, so I wouldn’t say it’s a two-man race right now. It’s more open.”
Bradford finished last season ranked 118th of 136 guards by Pro Football Focus, so it may not excite some fans to hear it’s not a slam dunk that Haynes will overtake him for the job. Haynes, the 81st overall pick in 2024, did not start any games last season despite opportunities to win the job and played just 167 snaps.
Macdonald said he’s seen great improvement from Bradford, the 108th overall pick in 2023, this offseason.
“A.B. has done a great job this spring,” Macdonald said. “His body comp (composition) has really improved, which speaks to his work ethic. I think he’s made strides now. Let’s go. You know, it’s time to go prove it consistently. He knows that. But he’s right in the thick of it with the battle at right guard.”
Rookie Bryce Cabeldue, a sixth-round pick out of Kansas, typically worked with the third unit at right guard.
Right tackle
Fourth-year player Abraham Lucas (Washington State) typically worked with the starters at right tackle and appeared fully healed from the knee issues that limited him to 13 games the past two seasons. The assumption is that’s his spot entering camp.
Jones, who has 24 career NFL starts at guard and tackle, also got some reps with the starters at right tackle. But as noted, that could be to groom him for a likely role as the backup at both tackle spots.
Rookie Mason Richman, a seventh-round pick out of Iowa, typically worked with the third unit.
“You want growth every day,” Macdonald said of what he hopes to see from the line this offseason. “You want the guys having the right mindset, finishing plays the right way. You can’t do it physically, but you can chase the ball. You can run out of the stack. You can take the line of scrimmage. The operation right now is good, (but) you know I think it’s something that we’re still chasing.”
