Seahawks 90-Man Countdown: G Jalen McKenzie - Breakthrough in Year No. 2?

After spending the 2022 season on their practice squad following a successful college career at USC, Jalen McKenzie will have a legitimate chance to compete for a backup role with the Seattle Seahawks in a new-look interior offensive line.

Author:
Corbin K. Smith
Publish date:
Jun 13, 2023 6:33 PM EDT

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Seattle Seahawks

With the calendar flipping to June and offseason activities well underway league-wide, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than two months, officially ushering in the 2023 season.

To celebrate the new incoming season, I will be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2023 campaign.

Jalen McKenzie, Guard

Height/Weight: 6-5, 315 pounds

2022 Stats: N/A

Logging over 1,800 snaps in four seasons at USC, McKenzie started 22 games, seeing extensive action at right guard as well as right tackle. Making major strides in pass protection, after yielding three sacks in 2019 as well as 2020, he didn't allow a single sack on 300 pass blocking snaps in 2021, earning himself an invite to the East/West Shrine Bowl all-star showcase.

Despite those improvements, however, McKenzie wasn't drafted and signed with the Titans as an undrafted free agent, eventually getting cut last August before joining the Seahawks practice squad. He didn't suit up for any regular season games as a rookie, spending the entire season on Seattle's practice squad and returning on a future/reserve deal in January.

Best-Case Scenario: Taking advantage of limited depth behind starters Damien Lewis and Phil Haynes at guard, McKenzie shows marked improvements as both a pass protector and run blocker during training camp and preseason games, securing his spot on the practice squad for the second straight season as an insurance policy.

Worst-Case Scenario: With the arrival of fourth-round pick Anthony Bradford and veteran center Evan Brown's ability to play guard in a pinch, McKenzie doesn't receive many snaps in exhibition games and isn't brought back on the practice squad in September.

What to Expect in 2023: The son of former Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie, who worked with Seahawks general manager John Schneider in Green Bay previously, Jalen McKenzie impressed Seattle's coaching staff enough last season to warrant taking another look at him. If there were a season for him to break through and vie for a roster spot, the departure of Gabe Jackson opens the door for him to see more snaps in August and potentially play his way into a swing guard role.

However, the Seahawks historically have only kept three guards on the active roster, usually retaining a backup center with guard capabilities. With limited depth at the position overall, McKenzie has a good chance to play his way back onto the practice squad, but the presence of Bradford and Brown significantly diminishes his odds of making the 53-man roster out of camp in an unfavorable numbers game.

Previous Seahawks 90-Man Profiles