Bud Clark’s injury in the Seattle Seahawks’ second preseason game throws a monkey wrench into Mike Macdonald’s plans for his defense. But Mason Richman’s injury could have even more impact this season, especially on other depth pieces like Christian Haynes. It all depends on where the injury bug will strike as the season progresses.
Both Clark and Richman are nominally backups. Given the nature of the way Macdonald runs his defenses – especially in the back end – Clark seemed destined to play a fair amount even if he never surpassed Ty Okada as a starter. The offensive line, where Richman plays, functions differently. Continuity is vital. Barring injury, those five guys stay together snap after snap after snap.
Fans could immediately tell Clark’s injury was concerning. He was carted off the field with an air cast around his lower leg. But Richman, after some time on the turf, walked off under his own power. He was barely even limping. Fans could reasonably hope that he suffered a minor sprain and would miss little time. Sadly. That does not appear to be the case.
Seattle Seahawks need to reshuffle offensive line depth after Mason Richman's injury
The team has now announced that both Clark and Richman appear to have suffered major injuries that will likely keep them off the field for months. Since both are nominally backups, this might not be a devastating blow. Seattle does have a lot of quality players in its defensive backfield, though losing a player of Clark’s talent and versatility is certainly going to hurt.
On the offensive line, the situation is not quite as rosy. It has appeared throughout camp and the preseason that the Seahawks have settled on their primary backups. Josh Jones is a reliable swing tackle. Olu Oluwatimi has been a starter at center in the past.
There has been more competition at guard, where Christian Haynes, Bryce Cabeldue, and Beau Stephens were all higher draft picks than Richman. The Iowa product was selected in the final round of the 2025 draft and barely played in his rookie season.
This year, he transitioned from tackle to guard and, to my eyes, was clearly the best of the Seahawks’ logjam of backup interior linemen. He was the most balanced of those backups, able to block well on straight-ahead power runs while also providing solid pass protection. Richman may not be as fluid as Haynes on zone runs and pulls, but he was showing signs of improving there as well.
I sense that, before the injury, Jones, Oluwatimi, and Richman were viewed as Seattle's primary offensive line backups. Each of them could step into an emergency situation. Maybe the Seahawks line would not be quite as good with a backup on the field, but there would be no obvious weak link.
That may no longer be the case. Haynes, who had a good shot at making the roster regardless of Richman’s health, would appear to be the next man up. Neither Stephens nor Cabeldue looks as polished right now.
The third-year guard out of UConn has yet to blossom into the quality starter John Schneider envisioned when he chose him in the third round of the 2024 draft. But he has progressed from his rookie season, when he was bypassed by a fellow rookie chose long after him in the draft.
That was when starter Anthony Bradford was lost midway through the season, and Satoa Laumea, who has not played in an NFL game since that rookie season, took over at right guard ahead of Haynes.
We saw the good and the bad of Haynes in a three-play span midway through the first quarter on Sunday night. He was blown up by Titans' defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons on a pass play. A minute later, he pulled on a counter, and along with tight end Eric Saubert, opened a hole for Jacardia Wright to burst through on his way to a 69-yard touchdown run.
At this point, Haynes is a better run blocker than pass blocker. The same is true of the man he currently backs up, Anthony Bradford. But whereas Bradford is a road grader with great straight-line power, Haynes is more of a finesse blocker.
He moves very well and should fit into Seattle’s running schemes, perhaps even better than Bradford or Richman. But he needs to improve his pass protection and also show that when a tough yard is needed, he can generate the forward push that Bradford and Richman are capable of.
Haynes played a lot at both guard spots on Sunday. That may have been partly due to Richman’s early departure. But I suspect line coach John Benton wants to see him on the left side as well as his more standard right guard position. Because as of today, it looks like Christina Haynes is the next man up should Bradford or left guard Grey Zabel have to miss time.
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