Seattle Seahawks Continuing to Build 'Imposing, Tone-Setting' O-Line Group

RENTON, Wash. - Throughout an offseason defined by change, the Seattle Seahawks had two glaring holes left largely unfilled along the offensive line, sparking concerns from a fan base that has grown used to seeing limited financial resources invested up front over the years.

After all, per Spotrac charting, after losing four-year starter Damien Lewis to Carolina, Seattle entered last week's 2024 NFL Draft dead last in cap dollars spent on the offensive line as a whole. This isn't a new phenomenon either, as the franchise has consistently been in the bottom third in spending at the position group, including ranking 30th in 2023 and 20th in 2022.

Coming out of his first draft working with general manager John Schneider, however, coach Mike Macdonald wasted little time leaving his mark on the front line. Emphasizing physicality and toughness in the trenches, the Seahawks used three of their eight selections on offensive linemen, starting with UConn standout Christian Haynes in the third round and later landing Utah's Sataoa Laumea and Findlay's Michael Jerrell in the sixth round to add depth at guard and tackle.

"I don't think you go into the process saying we have quota, but absolutely, that's where the game starts up front and it's going to be really important for us to be dominant in that phase," Macdonald told reporters of the importance of shoring up the offensive line via the draft. "If it stops there, then you really don't have a shot the rest of the play, so, again, the style of play, we talk about all that, but we want to be physical, we want to be imposing, we want to create at the lines of scrimmage and I think you're seeing the investment in that."

In some ways, the 2024 draft offered a significant change up compared to previous drafts orchestrated by Schneider and former coach Pete Carroll. While Schneider still has never selected a guard earlier than the third round and the team bypassed an opportunity to select Washington star Troy Fautanu in the first round, Haynes, Laumea, and Jerrell - albeit against Division II competition for the latter - all bring a wealth of experience to Seattle with them, a vast contrast from many of the inexperienced line projects the franchise has taken on over the years.

From Schneider's viewpoint, in reference to lines he previously helped construct in Green Bay, bringing three mature offensive linemen who have played a ton of football into the mix will help addressing Seattle's top goal in the trenches. The mission remains building a cohesive group that can grow together and hopefully be a foundation for the football team long-term, something the team has struggled to do over the years playing musical chairs up front.

"Offensive linemen need to play as a group. They need to be nasty, they should be walking around the building together. They should be in their own world. That's what we're trying to get together," Schneider said. "We have been blessed to be around a lot of really great offensive line groups. When we were in Green Bay we had a line that was together for 10 years and it was a big deal and those guys all would probably tell you they weren't the most talented guys but they worked together as one. That's what we're trying to establish and tone-setting was definitely something that was a factor in the guys that we wanted to acquire."

Benefiting from an All-American falling into their laps for the second straight day after picking Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II in the first round on Thursday night, the Seahawks rushed in the selection at pick No. 81 in third round with Haynes somehow still available and for good reason.

Despite playing for a Huskies program that has struggled to win games and finished 3-9 in 2023, Haynes garnered All-American honors for a second straight season after allowing only one sack and 12 pressures. One of the best pass protectors in all of college football, he put up remarkable numbers in 2022, allowing three pressures and no sacks for the entire season, and he surrendered just 47 total pressures while starting 49 consecutive games to close out his career.

In addition, Haynes packs a mean punch in the run game, capable of knocking defenders off the ball and driving them several yards downfield while also being a fluid mover on pulling assignments and second level blocks. These traits coupled with a high football IQ from starting nearly 50 games at UConn quickly made him a favorite for new Seahawks line coach Scott Huff, who couldn't have been happier to add the talented guard to a young line already featuring tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas.

"He can get under people. He can roll his hips," Schneider said of Haynes describing his game. "The pass protection stuff is legit, lateral movement. He stays in front of people. He's got strong hands. He's got anchor. He's just a really good football player, really good - so experienced. He knows like the nuances. He had a great Zoom interview with Coach Huff. They loved the football intelligence. Everybody was just really excited."

Doubling down at guard midway through the sixth round, the Seahawks again had good fortune bestowed upon them when Laumea, a four-year starter at Utah who participated alongside Haynes at the Senior Bowl, remained on the board. Viewed by most draft pundits as a third or fourth-round pick, Schneider and company quickly turned his name with the 179th selection, further bolstering the line with a seasoned prospect who has starting experience at tackle and guard.

Earning All-Pac 12 honors four consecutive seasons for the Utes, Laumea finished three of those four years allowing one or fewer sacks, doing a fine job protecting the quarterback while playing extensive snaps at multiple positions. He also showed a solid blend of athleticism and nastiness in the run game at 311 pounds, which should set him up for potential success sliding back inside with the Seahawks.

"He's huge, he's tough, really aggressive," Schneider said of Laumea, who he was thrilled to see still on the board. "Again, you guys hear this all the time, boy, I can't believe he was still available. That was one of those guys. Okay, you're waiting, waiting, keeps coming, keeps coming and he's been primarily a right side player, he's played right guard, right tackle, but size, length, a really good Senior Bowl week and competed at a high level."

In the case of Jerrell, the Indianapolis, Indiana product doesn't have the resume of Haynes or Laumea playing in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference against Division II opponents. However, he played six years at Findlay, developing from a 265-pound freshman in 2018 into what Schneider called a 309-pound "monster," earning All-American honors twice for the Oilers and putting himself on the NFL radar as early as 2022.

Though Jerrell will have to adjust to a huge jump in talent across from, he has elite athletic traits for the tackle position, as he ran a 4.94 40-yard dash and posted a 32-inch vertical jump at Ohio State's pro day in March. Having plenty of polish for a draftee coming from a lower level program and coming off an impressive week at the Hula Bowl all-star showcase against Power 5 competition, the Seahawks have high hopes for him down the line.

"He's a monster of a dude and we brought him in. He had a great [top-30] visit, great visit with the staff, treated everybody in the building with a lot of respect and he just has a really nice upside and he did what he's supposed to do. He dominated at a level he's supposed to dominate in at Findlay and, yeah, length, size, he's a former basketball player that's re-worked his body and he's still on the come so it's a really fun shot at an amazing upside."

Looking at Seattle's offensive line with OTAs set to begin later this month, the addition of Haynes, Laumea, and Jerrell provides a brighter long-term outlook for a young nucleus headlined by Cross, Lucas, center Olu Oluwatimi, and guard Anthony Bradford. But a lack of NFL experience remains a potential concern in 2024, as only veteran Laken Tomlinson and Bradford have started more than one regular season game at the guard spots and Nick Harris has four starts at center as the elder statesman.

On the plus side, at least in the case of Haynes and possibly Laumea, the Seahawks have added two players with more than 3,000 snaps in college who could be plug-and-play candidates as rookies. Those two should be thrust right into battle for playing time against Tomlinson and Bradford, while even Jerrell will have an opportunity to surprise competing against returning veteran Stone Forsythe and Raiqwon O'Neal for a swing tackle role right out of the gate.

Set to finally hit the field soon for actual drill work, Macdonald can't wait to see how things unfold in coming weeks with starting jobs up for grabs at all three interior line positions and competitions further fueled by a strong investment on offensive line talent in the draft. The onus will fall on the coaches and players themselves to make the most of the opportunity.

"We're going to have awesome competition on both lines of scrimmage. It'll be fun to kind of iron sharpen iron throughout the process, throughout camp. I'm just excited to go finally do some actual team drills here start of OTAs, so, been talking about it a lot, but now it's time to go do it."