Post-draft position battles on offense

Seahawks have a starting offense, but key backup roles are up for grabs

Aside from running back and offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, the Seahawks are set to return their entire starting offense from 2025. Almost the entire depth chart will look the same.

But some changes are to be decided via position battles.

Backup Guard

Beau Stephens*, Bryce Cabeldue, Christian Haynes, Mason Richman

Fans can’t wait for Anthony Bradford to be replaced with an upgrade, but there’s no indication yet that Seahawks coaches agree that his presence is detrimental. Case in point, Seattle won the Super Bowl and Bradford barely missed a snap, not including the snaps where he missed a block.

Regardless, whoever impresses the most in training camp could win a coveted position as the right guard apparent because Bradford is a 2027 free agent. Potentially one player is so good that the Seahawks put Bradford on the trade block.

Stephens has the advantage for being the newest option and not disappointing anyone yet, whereas Haynes would be so unexpected. John Schneider said Stephens in the fifth round was too good to pass up when Seattle traded a 2027 fourth round pick to the Browns for the rights to draft him:

“It was too big of a gap and too much talent there” Schneider said. “Beau came on a 30 visit. Really cool, right? Just the process of [him] coming in.

“We were pretty surprised [he was available at 148],” Schneider added. “But when the guy lasts that long, you’re like, ‘Okay, how do we figure this out?’ We did have a plan to play the compensatory game, if you
will. We were, like, ‘We have the 12 picks next year. What does it look like?’ The coaches, we got a lot of buy-in from the coaches. They’re really excited about it.”

Cabeldue and Richman have the advantage of spending the last 12 months with offensive line coach John Benton and Seattle’s strength and conditioning staff. Getting stronger was a big point of emphasis for Cabeldue when he was drafted, with an expectation that if he has a future in the NFL it will come after a year of development.

Did he get there?

Backup Center

Olu Oluwatimi, Federico Maranges

Mike Macdonald is high on Jalen Sundell, saying “He’s a great center. You need a great center to run our system.” There is no change coming at center.

This could be why ESPN’s Brady Henderson mentioned Olu as a potential trade candidate, which didn’t transpire during the draft. Given the spotlight on Baltimore’s lack of a center right now, maybe something could still happen with Macdonald’s former team.

This would only make sense though if Maranges, an undrafted free agent out of Florida Atlantic in 2025, has improved enough to be Sundell’s backup.

The 24-year-old started two seasons as FAU’s center and has a lot of size/length for the position at 6’3, 302, with 33 1/4” arms. The Puerto Rico native has a roster exemption as a part of the International Pathway Program if he’s on the practice squad, but maybe he’ll make the 53.

Running Back 2 (until ZC returns)

Emanuel Wilson, George Holani, Kenny McIntosh

Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet might have had equal snaps last season, but make no mistake that Walker was RB1 and Charbonnet was RB2. Jadarian Price is RB1. He will be the starter and he will get the majority of first and second down snaps.

If Price proves to be a better pass protector and receiver than expected, he will also steal third down snaps.

The Seahawks released Cam Akers this week and it would not be surprising if any of the three mentioned above also failed to make the team. Each of them will have to earn a role on the 53-man roster, especially with Velus Jones and Jacardia Wright coming to camp too (for now).

And who doesn’t want to see a roster with running backs named Jadarian and Jacardia?

This competition has a unique caveat because Charbonnet is clearly a great player and if he’s able to return to his normal self this year then he and Price will be Seattle’s backfield duo.

Wide Receiver 6

Emmanuel Henderson*, Cody White, Ricky White, Tyrone Broden, Montorie Foster, Michael Briscoe*, Levi Wentz*

The Seahawks could not draft a wide receiver this year unless his sole purpose was to replace Dareke Young, which is what Seattle got in the sixth round with Henderson. Shrine Bowl exec Eric Galko said many teams called him “the best special team WR in class” and a gunner with upside in other areas is perhaps the only type of receiver who could fit on the Seahawks right now with the top-5 spots on lock.

This is concerning news for Cody White, a player who appeared in 10 games last year. If undrafted free agents Briscoe or Wentz hope to make the roster, or last year’s rookies, it probably can’t be as a receiver. What can they do to contribute on special teams?

That’s where Henderson appears to start with a lead and if the Seahawks want to protect Rashid Shaheed and Price from kickoffs, then he could be a returner too.

Seaside Joe 2612