Seahawks reveal plan at right guard with Bradford on IR

With starting right guard Anthony Bradford on injured reserve, the Seattle Seahawks plan to continue rotating Christian Haynes and Beau Stephens at the position, offensive coordinator Brian Fleury said Thursday.

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Haynes, a 2024 third-round draft pick, made his first career NFL start and played 43 snaps in Seattle’s Week 2 win over the Arizona Cardinals this past Sunday. Stephens, a rookie fifth-round pick, played the other 27 snaps in his NFL debut.

“I think that those two will continue to rotate in a similar situation,” Fleury said. “It’ll just be determined by the state of the game.”

Haynes received a 58.6 Pro Football Focus grade against Arizona – including a 76.6 pass block grade and a 54.0 run block grade. It was Haynes’ most extensive action since Week 12 of 2024, when he played 60 snaps after Bradford exited with an early injury.

“I was happy with how Christian played with the amount of snaps that he had,” Fleury said. “That’s quite a bit of volume compared to what he’s normally gotten.”

Stephens, a first-team All-American at Iowa last season, received a 52.3 PFF grade – including a 54.1 pass block grade and a 52.5 run block grade.

“He’s come along,” Fleury said. “For a rookie, particularly a rookie offensive lineman, he still has his rookie moments. But what he does is he plays hard every single snap, so you can work with that.”

Bradford, who started every game at right guard last year, started the season opener before missing Week 2 with knee and hip injuries. The Seahawks then placed him on IR Wednesday, which means he’s required to miss at least the next four games.

But in the meantime, head coach Mike Macdonald is confident in Haynes and Stephens.

“With the way those guys played, we have great competition right there,” Macdonald said.

Fleury said the Seahawks are not predetermining how the rotation will play out.

“In my experience, it’s been best to just dip their toe in the water and not set a deliberate rotation, because you don’t know which direction the game’s going to go,” Fleury said.

“It’s an easy way to say, ‘Hey, you’re gonna play, but when and where is to be determined. We’re going to protect you as best we can and make sure it’s a positive experience that you can grow from.'”

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