SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

2 Takes: Insiders’ views on two top Seahawks OC candidates

Jan 21, 2025, 12:47 PM

The Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator search appears to be narrowing in on some potential finalists.

Report: Lions O-line coach gets 2nd interview for Seahawks OC job

As of Monday, there are now three known candidates who reportedly have advanced to the second of interviews: New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley and Minnesota Vikings assistant offensive coordinator/assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski.

According to reports, Kubiak and Udinski were both set to meet in-person with the Seahawks last Friday for their second interviews, while Fraley was slated to meet in-person Monday for his second interview. Fraley became available for a second interview after the top-seeded Lions lost to the Washington Commanders in the NFC divisional round on Saturday night.

A pair of national NFL insiders shared in recent Seattle Sports conversations what stands out about two of those candidates: Kubiak and Fraley. Here’s a look at what they said.

Klint Kubiak

Kubiak, 37, just completed his first season as the Saints’ offensive coordinator.

Kubiak’s offense got off to a red-hot start with a combined 91 points over New Orleans’ first two games, which was the second-most by any team over its first two games since the 1970 NFL merger. But after being hit by a slew of injuries at a variety of positions throughout their offense, the Saints finished 24th in scoring, 23rd in passing yards and 14th in rushing yards.

Still, ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky was a fan of what he saw from Kubiak’s scheme. That scheme stems from Kubiak’s father, Gary Kubiak, who was Houston Texans head coach from 2006 to 2013 and then won a Super Bowl in 2015 during the first of his two seasons as Denver Broncos head coach.

“I actually really enjoyed some of the stuff that they did down in New Orleans this year,” Orlovsky said last week during an appearance on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. “And I would tell you, I thought some of the injuries to their offensive line derailed some of the stuff they were doing. Obviously, the injuries to some of the receivers and the quarterback impacted that as well.

“But I like anybody that is from this (coaching) tree that has called plays that has shown they’re good at it, because I think the scheme is a big-time star.”

Gary Kubiak’s coaching tree includes San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, who spent four seasons under Kubiak from 2006 to 2009 in a variety of roles with the Texans. Shanahan is now regarded as one of the league’s best offensive play-callers.

Orlovsky has firsthand experience in the Kubiak scheme, having spent the 2010 season as the backup quarterback for Gary Kubiak’s Texans. Orlovsky told Brock and Salk that Gary Kubiak was the best offensive play-caller he played for over his seven-year NFL career.

“In that tree that Klint comes from, the most fundamental part of (that scheme) is everything looks the same,” Orlovsky said. “There is always a butterfly effect to a play call, and things are always constantly attached. There’s a consistent sequencing of events. You’re painting a picture so often in that scheme rather than writing a letter.”

Orlovsky said that was a stark contrast from Ryan Grubb’s play-calling with the Seahawks this past season. Grubb was let go by Seattle earlier this month after one up-and-down year as the team’s offensive coordinator.

“Grubb’s stuff this year, I think there was, ‘We’re gonna call this play. And then we’re gonna call this play. And then two quarters later, we’re gonna call this play,'” Orlovsky said. “There wasn’t a lot of attachment to: ‘All right, we called this, and we have these three things off of it that are gonna look the same.’ I think that’s the fundamental difference.

“These systems that Klint would come from – they’re great illusionists,” he added. “They’re constantly forcing you to look over here, and they’re doing something else (over there). And so your attention is elsewhere to what is actually happening.”

Hank Fraley

Fraley, 47, has been on the Lions’ coaching staff for the past seven seasons, including the past five as the team’s offensive line coach.

Detroit has had one of the league’s top rushing attacks over the past two seasons, in large part due to Fraley’s standout offensive line which is anchored by four-time Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow and three-time Pro Bowl right tackle Penei Sewell. In 2024, the Lions finished sixth in rushing yards per game (146.4), sixth in yards per carry (4.7) and third in Pro Football Focus’ run block grading.

Fraley also had a long playing career in the NFL, starting 123 games at center and guard over 11 seasons with the Eagles, Browns and Rams.

During an appearance on Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob last week, The Athletic’s Derrik Klassen said he thinks Fraley’s extensive O-line background makes him the best candidate for the Seahawks. The O-line was once again a major problem for Seattle this past season, with the unit struggling mightily in both pass protection and run blocking. Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith was sacked the third-most of any quarterback in the league and Seattle’s ground attack averaged the fifth-fewest rushing yards per game.

“I think Fraley makes the most sense to me, because I think to get the most out of Geno Smith, you would want a team that can protect a little bit more and try to run the ball and try to get into these play-action shot plays where you can really stretch the ball down the field,” Klassen said. “That, to me, is where you can get the most out of Geno’s talented arm.

“I think bringing a guy like Fraley who maybe is going to help you coach up the offensive line a little bit better – which is, to me, the biggest issue with this team – that seems like it has the best chance of solving the most problems.”

Listen to the full conversation with ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky at this link or in the audio player near the top of this story. Hear the full conversation with The Athletic’s Derrik Klassen at this link or in the audio player near the bottom of this story.

More on the Seattle Seahawks

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• Insider: Why Seattle Seahawks’ 28-year-old OC candidate is ‘fascinating’
• Barnwell: The path Seattle Seahawks should take with Geno Smith
• Which Seattle Seahawks could be salary cap casualties this offseason?
• Early Mock Draft Roundup: Who could Seahawks pick at No. 18?

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2 Takes: Insiders’ views on two top Seahawks OC candidates