Seahawks Schedule Pair of Interviews For Offensive Coordinator Vacancy

Beginning the process of finding a replacement for Ryan Grubb, the Seahawks will turn to a pair of candidates from the NFC North division.

Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley, works with newly drafted Lion Giovanni Manu, (59) as he works out at practice with fellow offensive lineman on Tuesday, July 30, 2024 at the Lions practice facility in Allen Park. / Mandi Wright / USA TODAY NETWORK

On Tuesday, Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald indicated that the team had submitted two requests for interviews as they begin the search for a replacement for fired offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, but he declined to offer names.

Two days later, the Seahawks appear to have their eyes on two quality candidates from the NFC North division.

According to reports from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network and Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer, Seattle will meet with Detroit offensive line coach Hank Fraley on Friday and Chicago interim coach Thomas Brown on Saturday to kick off the interview process.

One of the rising stars on coach Dan Campbell's staff, Fraley has been instrumental in building an elite offensive line around former top-10 pick Penei Sewell and All-Pro center Frank Ragnow over the past three years. Under his watch, the Lions finished 10th in quarterback sack rate (5.7 percent), sixth in rushing yards (2,488), and second in rushing touchdowns (29).

In 2023, Detroit ranked fourth in sack percentage (4.8 percent) with 2,311 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns on the ground with Fraley's offensive line playing a key role in guiding the team to its first NFC Championship game appearance since 1991. Prior to that breakout year, the unit allowed 24 sacks - the second-fewest in the NFL - and a fantastic 3.9 percent sack rate in 2022.

Before joining the Lions in 2018, Fraley enjoyed a successful stint as an assistant offensive line coach with the Vikings from 2014 to 2016, helping coach a unit that opened up running lanes for star back Adrian Peterson to rush for 1,485 yards in 2015 as the team ranked fourth overall in rushing. He also played 11 seasons as a center in the league, starting for the Eagles in each of his first four seasons as they captured four consecutive NFC East titles.

Unlike Fraley, who has never been a play caller at the NFL or college level, Brown has served as an offensive coordinator for the Bears and Panthers in the previous two seasons. He lasted just one season in Carolina with the team ranking 31st in scoring offense and head coach Frank Reich fired after a dismal 1-10 start, while he held three different roles for Chicago this year, including being named an interim coach following the firing of Matt Eberflus in November.

Brown opened this season as the pass game coordinator for the Bears, but after offensive coordinator Shane Waldron was dismissed on November 12, he took over as the play caller with promising results. Though Chicago lost each of the next three games, with rookie Caleb Williams leading the way, the team averaged 22 points per game against Green Bay, Minnesota, and Detroit, including taking the Vikings to overtime before falling just short.

Prior to his brief stops as a coordinator in Carolina and Chicago, Brown served on Sean McVay's staff as a running backs coach for the Rams in 2020 and an assistant head coach in 2021 and 2022, earning a Super Bowl ring after the 2021 season. He added tight ends coach to his resume during the 2022 season, showing off his versatility.

With the interview process just getting started, expect the Seahawks to announce several other additional candidates in coming days as they cast a wide net, but Fraley and Brown offer intriguing options to begin the search as viable options to succeed Grubb.

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