Why guard upgrades just became even more important for Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have a well-documented need to upgrade at the guard position following another season of struggles from the interior of their offensive line.

Huard: 6 reasons Seattle Seahawks hired Klint Kubiak as OC

Well, it may have just become an even more pressing spot to improve at.

Seattle hired Klint Kubiak to be its new offensive coordinator Sunday. According to Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus, guard play is the key to the run game in Kubiak’s wide zone scheme.

“The more and more film I watch on this Kubiak deal, I focused on the defensive lines that the Saints played that I feel were just elite or better than average,” Bumpus explained. “And the thing that I keep seeing (is) that, if your guards are not better than average, … when you try to do that wide zone consistently, (the defensive linemen are) slanting and they’re splitting the gaps and getting to the backfield and blowing stuff up. And it’s mainly because the guard play isn’t great.”

New Orleans’ run game was right at the middle of the pack under Kubiak last season. The Saints were 15th in rushing yards per game (114.9) and yards per attempt (4.4). The Seahawks, meanwhile, ranked 28th in rushing yards (95.7) and 17th in yards per carry (4.2).

In terms of offensive line play, the Saints ranked 10th in run blocking and 32nd in pass blocking last season, according to Pro Football Focus grading. The Seahawks were 24th and 26th, respectively. In a recent ranking of NFL offensive lines, PFF ranked the Saints 22nd and the Seahawks 31st.

Three of the Saints’ highest-graded offensive linemen were on the interior, including guards Cesar Ruiz and Lucas Patrick. Meanwhile, the Seahawks had three different players start at right guard (Anthony Bradford, Christian Haynes and Sataoa Laumea), and each had their share of struggles. Veteran Laken Tomlinson played all 17 games at left guard, but had an inconsistent year and is set to hit free agency.

“Those guards have got to take beautiful angles. Those guards have got to have great hands. They are going to set the tone,” Bumpus said of Kubiak’s offensive scheme. “It’s easier for the backside tackle and the play-side tackle, because you’re reaching a guy and you’re taking him where he wants to go. If you get beat and you’re the frontside tackle and that edge rusher wraps around, the running back can make you right if he puts his foot in the ground and he gets north and south.

“But if those guards cannot get flat and cannot handle that one and that three technique, (the defense is) going to blow things up in the backfield. So I’m looking at this guard position and I’m thinking, ‘Y’all got to hit with this one, because the scheme don’t work if those two ain’t flying around.’”

Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player in this story. Tune in to Bump and Stacy from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app.

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