Champion Seahawks Set to Fix Presumed Lone Weakness on Offensive Line

The Super Bowl LX champion Seattle Seahawks played their best football when it counted most in 2025. Including the postseason, Mike Macdonald’s club closed out this past season with 10 consecutive victories and doubled up their opponents in the process (290-145) on the scoreboard.

Veteran quarterback Sam Darnold had some issues with turnovers per usual, but eliminated them completely during the team’s three-game playoff run. The Seahawks got a big year from wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the 2025 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and Macdonald’s team gave up the fewest points in the league this past season.

Beau Stephens — Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Seahawks’ offensive front made massive improvement in 2025

One area of the team that probably didn’t get enough attention was the offensive line, which made considerable strides considering where this unit stood in previous seasons. Via Pro Football Focus, the Seahawks’ offensive front was ranked as the league’s No. 15 unit. One year earlier, only the New England Patriots’ offensive front was ranked lower in the NFL by PFF.

The most maligned position in recent years has been right guard. Chad Reuter of NFL.com assembled a list of players selected on Day 3 of last month’s draft who could be in the mix for starting duties. The Seahawks added University of Iowa guards Beau Stephens in the fifth round, and he bears watching.

Seahawks gave up a 2027 draft choice to land G Beau Stephens

Beau Stephens will be a steal on day 3. Demoralizing run blocker pic.twitter.com/9oy3rSnP69
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) April 17, 2026

“General manager John Schneider sent a 2027 fourth-round pick to the Browns for the right to select Stephens in the fifth round this year. That investment in the agile, hard-nosed Stephens portends a battle with the incumbent, Anthony Bradford, for the starting spot at right guard. Stephens spent the last two seasons at left guard, but he started at right guard earlier in his Iowa career, so he should be able to make the adjustment.”

Last offseason, Schneider used the 18th overall pick in the 2025 draft to secure the services of North Dakota State interior blocker Grey Zabel, who started all 20 games for the eventual Super Bowl champions, was Pro Football Focus’ 42nd-ranked guard. Former college teammate Jalen Sundell settled in at center, and graded out as PFF’s 20th-ranked pivot.

Seahawks’ RG Anthony Bradford continues to have his struggles

Meanwhile, Bradford was the 71st of 79 guards on Pro Football Focus list. The 2023 fourth-round pick from LSU showed slight improvement from his 2024 showring. However, he still graded out as the service’s third-worst pass protector at his position this past season.

#Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald on Beau Stephens:

“He will play RG, but we will train him left and right”

Photo credit: Seahawks Press pass pic.twitter.com/oYoxxXuYtg
— HawkMania (@hawkmania4) May 2, 2026

Could the writing be on the wall for the three-year pro? The Seahawks recently concluded their rookie minicamp and the versatile Stephens opened some eyes. The 6’5 1/2”, 315-pound blocker could wind up being yet another steal by Schneider. It will be interesting to how Stephens's role grows as the season wears on.

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