Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak appears destined to join the Las Vegas Raiders as their new head coach. That is a tough enough loss for Seattle, especially in contrast to the failure of Ryan Grubb in 2024, but it is who Kubiak could take with him that would be doubly difficult.
John Benton is Seattle's offensive line coach, and also worked with Kubiak in 2024 when both were with the New Orleans Saints. Benton appears to have not aggressively pursued any other coaching spots except for offensive line, but a good reason likely exists for that: He is very good at what he does.
He has helped turn a Seahawks offensive line that had underperformed for years into a pretty good unit in 2025. Is the O-line the best in the league? No, but it is much better than anyone could have hoped. Part of that is Kubiak's scheme, but a bigger part is Benton's direction.
Seattle Seahawks' Klint Kubiak could take John Benton with him to the Las Vegas Raiders
According to Pro Football Focus's (subscription required) offensive line rankings, Seattle finished 15th in 2025. The unit was 32nd in 2024. Rookie Grey Zabel's addition helped, of course, but left guard wasn't the worst problem in 2024. Right guard was as well as right tackle Abraham Lucas being healthy this season, but not in 2024.
It is the improved play of right guard Anthony Bradford that might prove Benton's true value. While still far from perfect, whatever Benton was teaching seemed to click with Bradford about halfway through the year. Either that, or Benton adjusted his blocking scheme to take advantage of whatever Bradford does well.
After giving up multiple pressures in four of the five games between Weeks 3 and 7, Bradford gave up zero or one pressure in six of the seven games between Weeks 9 (the bye week was in Week 8) and 15. He wasn't good against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Championship game, but LA has an excellent defensive line.
If Klint Kubiak doesn't take John Benton with him to the Raiders, that would be a gift to the Seahawks, but that happening would seem unlikely. Benton followed Kubiak to Seattle and will probably follow him to Las Vegas. Kubiak needs his offensive line coach.
Hopefully, whoever the Seattle Seahawks hire to replace Klint Kubiak has his own longtime offensive line coach to collaborate with. One way to make 2026 worse in Seattle than 2025 is to revert to the offensive line form of many of the previous seasons before John Benton's arrival.