One Thing the Seahawks Cannot Afford to Get Wrong in the NFL Draft

With the 2026 NFL Draft approaching, the Seattle Seahawks must address something that could prevent the Mike Macdonald era from becoming a dynasty.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf celebrates with guard Anthony Bradford. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

As the Seattle Seahawks prepare for the NFL Draft, the margin for error is razor-thin.

While roster building is an exercise in probability, there is one specific area where a swing and a miss could take the Seahawks out of the Super Bowl contender conversation.

Stabilizing the Offensive Line

Seattle Seahawks guard Anthony Bradford talks to media members at the San Jose Marriott. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

While the allure of a flashy playmaker or a high-ceiling edge rusher is always present, the Seahawks cannot afford to get the interior offensive line wrong. In the modern NFL, and particularly within Mike Macdonald’s system, the offense requires a pocket that doesn't collapse from the inside out.

Whether it's protecting an established veteran or a young signal-caller, this has been a recurring theme that Seattle must finally seal.

Why the Seahawks Have to Get it Right

Seattle Seahawks guard Grey Zabel speaks to the media at the San Jose Convention Center. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The Seahawks selected Grey Zabel in the first round of the draft last year out of North Dakota State. He started all 17 games for the Seahawks in his rookie year at left guard and the team won the Super Bowl, proving how key it is to nailing that position.

• No matter who is under center, consistent pressure up the middle is the fastest way to kill a drive and risk injury to quarterback Sam Darnold.
• The Seahawks' identity often leans on a physical rushing attack. Without dominant interior blockers, the run game becomes predictable and inefficient.
• The NFC West is notorious for elite interior pass rushers. Neglecting the interior offensive line is essentially giving a free pass to the division's best defenders.

The Seahawks have Zabel at left guard, but the right guard spot is a bit suspect. Anthony Bradford is a free agent at the end of the 2026 season, so the Seahawks have to search for a replacement for him soon, possibly in the draft.

Potential Strategies for Success

Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

• In the middle rounds, the Seahawks should prioritize "plug-and-play" prospects with high football IQ and proven collegiate starting experience.
• Finding players who can swing between guard and center provides the depth necessary to survive the inevitable war of attrition during the regular season.

You can find wide receivers in the third round and corners in the fifth, but a broken offensive engine ruins the entire machine. Seattle must walk away from this draft with a foundational piece in the trenches that can either be Bradford's long-term successor or someone that can push him for a starting job in the fall.

Someone like Iowa's Beau Stephens, Kansas State's Sam Hecht or Auburn's Jeremiah Wright could fit the bill.

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