Let's probably say right up front that I do like Pro Football Focus’s (subscription required) player rating tool, but I do not rely on it exclusively. I find it most useful in getting a broad sense of players on teams that I don’t get to watch every week. For the players who I do get to see often, I tend to rely on my own eyes a bit more. That said, when my eyes and PFF ratings align, I feel pretty confident in my opinion of a given player.
With that in mind, I think it’s safe to say that right guard is a bit of a problem for the Seattle Seahawks as they look ahead to 2025. Anthony Bradford, Sataoa Laumea, and Christian Haynes shared the position in 2024, and none performed at a level that merits another look next season.
It is almost certainly too early to give up on Haynes or Laumea, who as rookies, have logged close to half the snaps at guard. But Laumea is currently the lowest-rated of all 75 PFF-ranked guards, with an astonishingly low pass-blocking grade of 16.2.
Five free agent offensive linemen who could help the Seattle Seahawks in 2025
Still, Hawks coaches chose him ahead of Haynes to replace Bradford when the starter went down with an ankle injury last month. Bradford had been among the lowest-rated guards in the league as well, and Haynes, in limited action, graded out somewhat lower than Bradford.
OK – you probably knew all that. And you probably know that despite signing one veteran and drafting two rookies, Seattle will almost certainly be looking for help at guard again this off-season. Left guard Laken Tomlinson turns 33 next month and is a free agent in 2025. The clock may be running out on Bradford and both rookies have been underwhelming. Where do the Hawks turn?
Free agency might be fruitful this coming off-season. It is difficult to imagine simply staging a replay of ’24 with Tomlinson and Bradford. Haynes and Laumea, if they have a future, probably need more time to develop into reasonable starting options. It is too early to know for certain which players will be available on the open market come March. But as of now, here are five veterans Seattle might look to in an effort to upgrade the guard position in 2025.
Patrick Mekari – Baltimore Ravens
The best thing Patrick Mekari would offer to Seattle is versatility. After signing with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2019, the 27-year-old not only earned a roster spot but ended up starting five games in his first season. He has played everywhere along the line. Mekari has primarily played left guard for Baltimore over the past few years, but he can also play tackle and center.
The question concerning Mekari is whether he has a high enough ceiling to be a reliable starting presence at any of those spots. A player with his combination of youth, experience, and exceptional versatility will be a valuable commodity on any team, but were he to come to Seattle as a super-sub, he would not really address the need to upgrade the starting right guard spot. If however, the Hawks see a higher upside, he could be the exact kind of player they need to retool the offensive line.
Ben Bartch – San Francisco 49ers
Bartch is another player who has served as a quality backup throughout most of his career but could be primed to take a major step forward. He is still just 26 years old despite playing in his fifth season in 2024. Jacksonville drafted him in the 4th round in 2020 and moved him from tackle to guard in his second season.
There are red flags with Bartch. Jacksonville demoted him in 2023 and he was eventually signed by the 49ers. This season, he has played the fewest snaps of his entire career. Just as he was beginning to show very good form, he suffered a high ankle sprain which ended his ’24 campaign in early December. Still, he should be fully healed by next season and could be a genuine diamond in the rough. The 49ers will almost certainly try to retain him, but they might be hamstrung because …
Aaron Banks – San Francisco 49ers
The common assumption in San Fran is that Aaron Banks, who has been the 49ers’ starting left guard for most of the past three seasons, will not be with the team next year. There will be interest in the 27-year-old, and John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan have stockpiled some other young talent – like Ben Bartch – who they will likely prioritize over Banks.
Banks came to San Fran in the second round of the 2021 draft. He has played well at times but was struggling through the latter part of this season before a knee injury sent him to IR. That injury does not look particularly serious and there’s a good chance he could be available on a bargain deal as he looks to prove he is healthy and still has a lot in the tank.
Banks has been seen as a minor bust by many 49ers fans but he has played a lot of snaps for a quality offense. A change of scenery could be an ideal shot in the arm for a player with a lot of talent.
Teven Jenkins – Chicago Bears
Teven Jenkins would be the biggest dice roll the Hawks could make at guard this off-season. There’s no denying the high-ceiling the 6’6”, 321-pound guard possesses. Jenkins is 26 years old and can be a dominant interior lineman – when he is on the field.
But Jenkins has never gone an entire season without some injury or another. Hopes were very high when the Bears selected him in the second round of the 2021 draft, but the former Oklahoma State star has played just 45 games over the course of his four seasons. None of his injuries have been particularly severe, but he simply has not been able to stay healthy.
Seattle has seen this kind of story play out with Abraham Lucas over the past few seasons. They have to determine if Jenkins’ injuries have been the result of bad luck or whether he is simply a player destined to remain unreliable.
James Daniels – Pittsburgh Steelers
Speaking of bad luck, James Daniels had been extremely durable since entering the league as a second-round draft pick of Chicago in 2018. Other than missing a large chunk of the 2020 season with a torn pec, Daniels was a steady fixture at both guard and center for both the Bears and the Steelers. The mere fact that a franchise like the Steelers – who value line play as much as any team in the league – chose to sign Daniels to a three-year deal as a free agent speaks to his caliber.
Daniels was off to an insanely good start in 2024, with a PFF grade of 92.9 through the first month of the season. That ranked him first among all guards. Then he tore his Achilles in a game against Indianapolis in late September and went to season-ending IR. Before the injury, it seemed likely that Pittsburgh would make a major effort to re-sign the 27-year-old. Now, his status is very uncertain.
Daniels is the best, most consistent guard on this list. There is always a risk in signing a player coming off injury. (Seattle got a rather surprising reminder of this fact with what happened to Connor Williams this season.) But if Daniels is healthy, he would be the best immediate fix to Seattle's significant problems at right guard.