Seahawks minicamp: Mike Macdonald shares update on critical interior race

Seattle has a lot of options to start at right guard, which probably means they don't have any good ones.

November 17, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald talks to his staff during the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. / Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Right guard being your team's most-important position battle isn't exactly the most exciting training camp storyline that NFL fans might see. A long-missing, good old-fashioned quarterback controversy would certainly liven things up around the VMAC, but we'll probably have to wait until next year to see that one play out between Sam Darnold and Jalen Milroe.

For now, the Seattle Seahawks desperately need to find a quality starter at right guard, which has been a black eye for too long to even recount. Most of the playing time at this position last season was split between Anthony Bradford and rookie Christian Haynes, neither of whom impressed.

A few snaps also went to fellow rookie Sataoa Laumea, who wound up posting the team's lowest pass blocking grade of the year - which is really saying someting. However, head coach Mike Maconald says that Laumea is still going to be involved in the race to start at right guard - according to team reporter John Boye's offseason takeaways column.

"There's a lot of competition... We haven't settled some of the spots, and that means we have a lot of guys that are options, so it's exciting.' On right guard in particular, Macdonald added, 'We'll see when the pads come on, because you have to work out the center position. Taoa is part of that equation. The rookies really haven't seen live and in color, so I wouldn't say it's a two-man race right now. It's more open.'"

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 05: Sataoa Laumea #63 of the Seattle Seahawks during warm up before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on January 05, 2025 in Inglewood, California. / (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

It's hard to tell without context, but it sounds like Macdonald may have meant that Laumea is involved in the center battle with Olu Oluwatimi and Jalen Sundell instead of right guard. Either way, the same principle applies.

Despite what former head coach Pete Carroll might tell you, having a lot of competition at one spot isn't necessarily a good thing by definition. As the old saying goes - if you have two quarterbacks, you don't have any. Therefore, if your team has three right guards your QB is royally screwed.

The Seahawks had plenty of chances to build a good interior offensive line this offseason, too. However, general manager John Schneider refused to play ball for a small but high-end guard market in free agency. Then, he only used one of the team's five top-100 draftpicks on an iOL prospect.

Grey Zabel might be the greatest left guard of all time on Day 1, but that's only going to help Sam Darnold so much when his right flank keeps on collapsing the same way it did for Geno Smith.

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