Seattle Seahawks Should Now Have Clear Answer For Best RG Option

The Seahawks don't seem ready to end their right guard competition, but the latest audition in Detroit suggests it is time to take the training wheels off the rookie.

Sep 15, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Seattle Seahawks guard Christian Haynes blocks against the New England Patriots in the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

RENTON, Wash. - After platooning Anthony Bradford and Christian Haynes in Monday night's 42-29 loss to the Detroit Lions, the Seattle Seahawks look poised to continue employing that strategy at right guard for the foreseeable future.

Fielding questions from reporters prior to Wednesday's walkthrough, coming out of Monday's defeat, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald indicated the coaching staff still hasn't seen Bradford or Haynes separate themselves in a competition that has been ongoing since the start of OTAs back in May. Or at least there hasn't been enough separation from either player to warrant giving him all of the snaps to this point as the evaluation process continues.

"I don't think there's any conclusion with it right now," Macdonald said of the right guard rotation. "I think both guys played a good game [in Detroit]. The offensive line probably played their best game of the season so far. So, we haven't talked about specific snap counts this week, but I'd anticipate something similar moving forward in the near future."

Seattle has understandably opted for patience with the two young guards being provided opportunities to develop and in the grand scheme of things, that decision could pay dividends as the organization waits to see who will ultimately seize the starting job. For now, that appears to be the course of action the franchise will stick with in the short term.

But based on statistics, and now most importantly enough film to have a decent sample size for assessment, a strong argument can be made that the answer to that question already lies in front of Macdonald, line coach Scott Huff, and the rest of the Seahawks staff.

Going into Monday's pivotal prime time clash in the Motor City, Haynes had only played 16 offensive snaps in Seattle's first three games with Bradford starting and seeing the majority of the playing time. In his second season out of LSU, the former fourth round pick has flashed at times, particularly in the run blocking department where he helped Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet each eclipse 90 rushing yards in Week 1 and Week 3.

Per Pro Football Focus, Bradford also only allowed two pressures in the first two games, suggesting he had taken a significant step forward protecting Geno Smith after struggling mightily in this department as a rookie.

However, clearly not satisfied with Bradford's play in a 24-3 win over Miami where he committed two penalties and allowed two sacks, Macdonald made it clear that Seattle needed to provide more opportunities for Haynes, who didn't platoon into the lineup at all in that contest. Sure enough, that's exactly what happened on Monday night, as the team rotated him in for five offensive series and a career-high 36 snaps.

Comparing their respective performances, Bradford and Haynes both held up well in pass protection, with each allowing one pressure on Geno Smith and no sacks. But looking closely at All-22 film from Monday's loss, it was the rookie who made the biggest statement, regularly picking up stunts and blitzes without a hitch. Surprisingly, he also outplayed his counterpart in the run blocking department, as Bradford often found himself lunging at defenders and unable to square up on blocks, winding up on his knees at the end of several plays.

I counted three 🥞 for Christian Haynes on Monday night. Yes, this play ultimately didn't count because of Metcalf hold, but damnit, it's still on film. #Seahawks pic.twitter.com/Rw2YHTgf14

— Corbin K. Smith (@CorbinSmithNFL) October 3, 2024

Showing a penchant for finishing his blocks with authority, Haynes cooked up a pair of pancakes against the Lions with one in pass protection and one as a run blocker. Aside from driving star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson into the turf during a scoring drive in the first half, he also worked off a combo block to pancake a defensive tackle on Walker's 21-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, helping create the cutback lane needed to bounce the run to the right sideline and speed past pursuing defenders to the end zone.

If not for a hold on DK Metcalf that wiped out a first down run by Zach Charbonnet midway through the fourth quarter, Haynes would have had a third pancake on the stat sheet as he bulldozed defensive tackle Alim McNeal to the ground.

With the two players partaking in the closest platoon to a 50/50 time share that they have had through the first month of the season, the stats paired with film observation don't lie. When Haynes checked into the lineup, they were a significantly better offense on Monday in large part due to his presence in the middle.

Playing seven possessions against Detroit, Seattle scored two touchdowns with Bradford in the game at right guard between center Connor Williams and right tackle Stone Forsythe, averaging two points per drive and nearly 6.3 yards per play. Those numbers are respectable, but when Haynes subbed in for four possessions, the Seahawks scored the same number of points on nearly 20 fewer plays, producing 3.5 points per drive and almost seven yards per play.

Looking at specifics, the Seahawks were far more explosive running the football with Haynes in the lineup. On his four possessions in the game, Walker rushed four times for 49 yards, averaging 12.3 yards per carry with two 20-plus yard runs and two touchdowns. In comparison, on Bradford's seven possessions, he carried the ball eight times for 31 yards, averaging just 3.8 yards per carry with a one-yard touchdown in the first half.

Following Thursday's practice a few days earlier, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb cited fundamentals and play strength as the core reasons why Bradford remained in the lineup over Haynes. These comments matched observations from training camp practices, particularly in regard to hand placement and usage, an issue that Haynes' former coaches at UConn pointed out as an area of improvement coming out of the draft.

Watching Monday's game, however, Haynes looked to be the one with superior technique and drive power off the ball, bullying opponents at the point of attack and relishing the chance to finish blocks with authority. Answering the bell following Grubb's public comments, the Seahawks should finally present an opportunity for him to wrangle the starting job away from Bradford, who has gotten a long enough leash to this point battling penalty issues and inconsistent play in all facets.

Being a rookie, growing pains will continue to be part of the equation, and Seattle will have to be ready for those bumps in the road along the way. But with Macdonald and company desiring a conclusion to the right guard competition, if the play between the lines takes first priority in the decision making process, turning to Haynes needs to be the move to see what he can do after earning that shot against a solid defense in prime time.