The Seattle Seahawks are hoping to receive upgraded play from in-house options across their offensive line this season. Despite it being a huge weakness last year, GM John Schneider didn’t go crazy in the talent acquisition department. The Seahawks didn’t sign a single starting-caliber lineman in free agency, adding swing tackle Josh Jones, and the lone new instant starter will be first-round pick Grey Zabel.
Instead of relying on offseason acquisitions, ascending talents like Olu Oluwatimi, Jalen Sundell, Christian Haynes, and Anthony Bradford are receiving opportunities to display improvement. Offensive line coach John Benton is being tasked with helping them get better. It’s a bold, risky strategy.
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Pro Football Focus recently looked ahead to the 2026 NFL draft by highlighting one area every NFL team needs to think about. Unsurprisingly for the Seahawks, that’s the offensive line.
“Seattle’s interior offensive line posted a 52.8 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2024, ranking 29th in the NFL,” Trevor Sikkema acknowledged. “The team heavily invested in that area by drafting the versatile Grey Zabel in Round 1 this offseason, but the fact of the matter is that the Seahawks could have, and maybe should have, added more bodies to that group.
Sikkema is also hesitant to buy into Haynes’ development, or Abe Lucas’ health.
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“Christian Haynes struggled as a rookie, earning just a 48.5 PFF overall grade on limited playing time,” Sikkema added. “He needs a big bounce-back season, or else the Seahawks might be using another priority pick on an interior player next offseason. Tackle Abraham Lucas is great when healthy, but he has dealt with chronic knee issues and the team lacks depth behind him. Seattle needs to make more offensive line investments.”
The offensive line could be a sore-spot for the Seahawks again in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Pro Football Focus: OL still a priority for Seahawks in 2026 NFL draft