Why potential return may not fix Seahawks’ O-line issues

Just a year ago, many Seattle Seahawks fans wouldn’t be clamoring for the return of right guard Anthony Bradford. But that has been the case of late while the fourth-year offensive lineman has been on injured reserve and Seattle’s offensive line has looked suspect.

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Bradford, who had been out since Week 2 with a knee injury, was designated to return to practice Monday, and head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters he will play on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs if he makes it through the full week of practice.

How much will Bradford’s return help Seattle’s offensive line? Seahawks Radio Network analyst and former NFL O-lineman Ray Roberts said it’s hard to tell because all of the team’s offensive linemen have had some trouble at times this year.

“Sometimes you’ll see on the backside there’ll be a great double team with (Grey) Zabel and Charles Cross. It looks like the same way you draw it up, but then with Abe (Lucas) and whoever’s playing right guard, it looks an absolute train wreck,” Roberts said.“ And then (center Jalen) Sundell is in there sometimes falling down or tripping up, or he’s not having the right technique. So, it only takes one dude to mess up on the offensive line and then the play will get stopped for one yard and it will look like the whole offensive line jacked up. But it’s like all of them are taking that turn and it is so bad that you can’t even really, truly evaluate the right guard because the center and the right tackle aren’t playing great football.”

“You have to figure out what’s going on across the offensive line,” he later added. “The technique is inconsistent, the execution of the blocks is inconsistent and just the abomination of the pass protection sometimes is unthinkable.”

A particular problem

One player that Roberts has been particularly concerned about is Lucas at right tackle. When healthy, the WSU product and Everett native has been a mauling presence on the right side, but he’s had some troubles this year. His four sacks allowed are tied for the third most among tackles leaguewide, and his 18 pressures allowed are the most by Seattle offensive lineman. He’s also tied for the team lead on the O-line with four penalties committed.

“All of a sudden now it looks like he’s lost like some of the sting and his punch, and he just doesn’t seem to be able to finish things the way he normally would,” Roberts said.

Roberts pointed to George Holani’s fumble in his own end zone that was recovered by San Francisco for a defensive TD in Week 5 as a moment where he saw Lucas get beat in the run game, which is where he’s normally at his best.

“He got blown up into the running back’s lap at the same time Sundell was getting beaten by the nose guard, and nobody said anything about it. He was being put on his back and you just don’t see that from Abe, so you don’t know if it’s like an injury thing. It’s really hard to put my finger on it,” Roberts said.

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Lack of continuity

While Bradford has been out, Seattle has been rotating Christian Haynes and rookie Beau Stephens in at right guard. Roberts said he’s seen good and bad from both, but he ultimately isn’t a fan of a rotation on the offensive line.

“If you’re the right tackle and center, you kind of want to know who’s playing besides you, what their strengths and weaknesses are, because you want to be able to be in the rhythm in a way that you know how to mitigate another dude’s weakness that’s beside you,” Roberts said.

“When I played in Detroit, I had this left guard, Mike Compton, and he and I became so connected that I knew by just the way he would just turn his head and look at me before a play like, yeah, I better hang on to this double team a little bit longer. Or I could just tap him on the on the hip as I’m getting in my stance and he knew like, hey, I need to sit inside on this pass rush for Ray for just a little second.”

Hear the full conversation at this link or in the audio player in this story. Listen to Wyman and Bob weekdays from 2-7 p.m. or find the podcast on the Seattle Sports app. 

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