3 Seattle Seahawks veterans who could lose their starting job to a rookie

No. 2: Seattle Seahawks right guard Phil Haynes

Haynes is in the same boat as Evan Brown. Seattle has simply drafted so extremely well that veterans should fear for their jobs. The question is should Seattle start two rookies along their offensive line while pairing them with two second-year guys? Why not? If the players are good enough to start then they should start and form the nucleus of the offensive line for the next 4-5 years.

Haynes' issue wasn't that he wasn't decent in 2022 because he was, but the Seahawks chose Anthony Bradford in the fourth round of 2023 and Bradford, like Olu Oluwatimi, has the size and ability to play straight off. Bradford could be one starting guard while fellow LSU alum Damien Lewis holds down the left guard spot. Both Lewis and Bradford seem tenacious and take offense to any defender trying to get past them.

Haynes was promising coming out of college in 2019 but he couldn't stay healthy through his first three seasons so the Seahawks have a right to wonder if Haynes could actually stay healthy moving forward if he were given the chance to start beginning in 2023. Haynes is big enough and strong enough to start, but if he can't stay healthy then a young offensive line trying to build cohesion might break down. Bradford might be the safer choice for Seattle, even if Bradford is only a rookie.

Hopefully, the Seahawks will not rotate the right guard spot this coming season. They did that in 2022 and worked OK because Haynes and his fellow right guard, Gabe Jackson, were both experienced. That type of rotation might not work as well with Haynes and a rookie. So, whoever wins the battle between Haynes and Bradford in training camp and preseason is likely going to be the long-term starter in Seattle.