Seattle Seahawks 90-Man Roundup: Will Tremayne Anchrum Surprise in OL Competition?

Following four seasons with a division rival in Los Angeles, Tremayne Anchrum may face an uphill climb battling in a suddenly crowded guard group for the Seahawks.

October 15, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams guard Tremayne Anchrum Jr. (72) before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

With OTAs wrapping up across the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in just under two months, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we'll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best and worst case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

Signed as a free agent in March, could Tremayne Anchrum make things interesting competing in a new-look guard room for Seattle?

Background

A multi-year starter at Clemson, Anchrum starred as a tackle for multiple FBS championship squads before being selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft. After playing in only three regular season snaps as a rookie, he missed a chunk of the 2021 campaign due to injury and didn't see any action as the Rams marched to a Super Bowl title. A fractured fibula ended his third season in Week 2, again preventing him from seeing any extensive action. Beat out for a starting spot in training camp last August, he still played in a career-high 96 offensive snaps, giving up two pressures and one sack last season. Looking for a fresh start, he signed with the Seahawks as a free agent on a one-year deal.

Scheme Fit

At 6-2, 314 pounds, Anchrum plays a physical brand of football where he has been at his best in the run game when he can shoot out of his stance and knock defenders off the ball. Not surprisingly, in limited chances to play, the majority of his run blocking snaps came on gap blocking concepts. Position-wise, he has been seeing work at left guard for the Seahawks in OTAs, but he previously played right tackle and right guard at Clemson and with the Rams.

Best Case Scenario

Avoiding injuries that set him back earlier in his career, Anchrum impresses during training camp and the preseason and emerges as a solid fit in Ryan Grubb's offense, fending off rookie Sataoa Laumea to win the backup job behind veteran Laken Tomlinson and secure a spot as a swing guard on Seattle's 53-man roster.

Worst Case Scenario

Though he stays healthy, Anchrum begins training camp as the third-string left guard for the Seahawks and Laumea outperforms him, preventing the veteran from making up any ground in the competition for a roster spot. The Seahawks release him and opt to go with younger options for the practice squad.

What to Expect in 2024

After signing him to a one-year deal in March, Seahawks general manager John Schneider expressed confidence in Anchrum having the talent to potentially start at guard during the NFL annual meetings. But after those comments, the team signed Tomlinson, who has started more than 120 games in his career and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2021. In addition, the franchise invested draft picks in Christian Haynes and Laumea, who already look to be ahead of him during OTAs.

At just 26 years of age, Anchrum remains a young player with untapped upside and injuries prevented him from reaching his potential with the Rams. If he's able to stay healthy, it's possible he could still contend for a backup spot behind Tomlinson and Anthony Bradford, especially with Laumea trying to play on the left side for the first time. However, unlike when he signed a few months ago and the team lacked depth at guard, the additions late in free agency and in the draft put his status on tenuous ground and the odds may now be stacked against him to make the final roster.

Previous 90-Man Roundups

Buddha Jones | Devin Richardson | TaMerik Williams | Rason Williams II | Ro Torrence | Nathan Pickering | Dee Williams | Devere Levelston | Kobe Lewis | Sunny Anderson | Mike Novitsky | Max Pircher | Easton Gibbs | Hayden Hatten | Garret Greenfield | Carlton Johnson | Matt Gotel |George Holani | Cody White | Ty Okada | Drake Thomas | McClendon Curtis | Easop Winston Jr. |Nelson Ceaser | Jonathan Sutherland | Lance Boykin | Joshua Onujiogu | Patrick O'Connell |Jack Westover | Raiqwon O'Neal | Tyler Mabry | Dareke Young