The Seattle Seahawks will bring back most of their Super Bowl-winning core, including most assistant coaches. While that's usually a positive, it also seems that they've wasted multiple opportunities to address their few areas of improvement.
They're still scrambling to add depth at cornerback, but they seem content with the interior of the offensive line. After watching rookie IOL Beau Stephens struggle in the preseason, that might not be great news.
Anthony Bradford has been a weak link for the past three years, and this team might be an injury away from a catastrophe at right guard. That's why going after a proven veteran like Kevin Zeitler might actually be a season-saving move.
The Seattle Seahawks should consider signing Kevin Zeitler
Zeitler might be 36 years young, but he's always been a productive, plug-and-play type of guy. According to Pro Football Focus' premium stats (subscription required), he gave up 16 pressures on 590 pass-blocking snaps in 2026, drawing a 74.5 grade — the 11th-highest among guards.
He's by no means a superstar, but the Seahawks don't need that much in the trenches. Charlie Cross is elite, Grey Zabel showed flashes of All-Pro potential as a rookie, Jalen Sundell is criminally underrated, and Abraham Lucas is pretty serviceable. They just need to patch things up at right guard.
While money shouldn't be an issue for the Seahawks, Zeitler's projected market value of $9.2 million might scare most teams away. That said, a 36-year-old IOL who's still unsigned at this point in the offseason will probably take a huge pay cut just to continue playing.
Zeitler is a true journeyman, but he's excelled in all kinds of blocking schemes and offenses. Even last season, he was one of the few bright spots in a mediocre Tennessee Titans offense that failed to get much going.
The Seahawks have a rookie running back and a first-time offensive play-caller. As high as they are on Jadarian Price, they must make his life easier with proper run-blocking and someone who can climb and block in the open field. So far, that hasn't been Bradford.
Even if the Seahawks still believe in him — which they clearly do — having some friendly competition has never hurt. Stephens might as well be that guy, but he's definitely not there yet, and Zeitler could keep Bradford on his toes and push him to clean his act once and for all.
This game has evolved and changed significantly over the years, but dominating in the trenches and establishing the run are still two fundamentals of playing winning, consistent football.
The Seahawks will go from hunters to hunted, and with all 31 teams keeping tabs on their flaws and tendencies, they can't afford to roll into their title-defending season with the same Achilles heel from last season.
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