I didn’t know that Anthony Bradford has so many fans. But, reading the comments on my latest articles, I saw many readers asking for an analysis of what Bradford has shown so far during Seattle Seahawks preseason.
So, in response to requests, let’s get to the analysis!
Context
Bradford had an exceptional game against the Kansas City Chiefs. I don’t think he had a great game against the Raiders, but he played much better alongside Abe Lucas than he did last year.
Now, I’ll explain the context of my criticism
regarding the Seahawks’ planning for the starting right guard role. First and foremost, I’m a Seahawks fan, so when I criticize, it’s based on what I see on tape, but I always hope the players prove me wrong. A recent example was Jarran Reed. I wasn’t thrilled at all when he was signed, but Reed has proven to be a pillar in the heart of our defensive line and in the locker room.
That said, let’s get to my thoughts on Bradford. Let’s start with the facts (via PFF):
- Overall: 48.3 (118th among 136 guards);
- Pass block: 48.5 (100th/136);
- Run block: 57.7 (93rd/136);
- Penalties: 10 flags – 129th of 136;
- Sacks given up: 7 – 131st/136 (among the worst);
- Total pressures allowed: 28 (26th of 136);
- Pass block efficiency (PFF): 91.7% in pure passing situations (52nd among 55 guards);
The Seahawks made a major upgrade at the starting LG position with the first-round pick Gray Zabel. However, there was no investment at that level at starting right guard. Bradford’s backup is Christian Haynes. The former UConn player had great potential in Seattle’s scheme last year and even greater potential in Klint Kubiak and John Benton’s wide zone scheme. Haynes has seemingly lost the battle against Bradford.
It’s worth remembering that Haynes himself lost a possible starting spot to sixth-round pick Sataoa Laumea, who is now at risk of being cut due to his inability to excel against third- and fourth-string defenders. The Seahawks could have a lot of faith in Bradford’s growth, but they couldn’t rely solely on a sixth-round rookie (Bryce Cabeldue) and a seventh-rounder (Mason Richman).
This is different from the center position, for example. I believe the Seahawks have two players with starting potential in Jalen Sundell and Olu Oluwatimi. The same can’t be said about Bradford’s backups. Bradford himself has struggled with consistency up to this point in his career.
Reviewing the tape against the Chiefs
He was PFF’s leading offensive grader among all right guards in Week 2.
Bradford is strong. In fact, he’s very strong. He blocks the DT from the outside in, and you can see that when he uses the right technique and maximizes his raw strength, he’s capable of doing just that. The opponent ends the play closer to the opposite sideline than close to doing anything against the RB.
Excellent pull by Bradford. I wanted to highlight AJ Barner’s (#88) incredible play. He threatens the block at the edge to slow him down and give Bradford time to get to the long trap. Excellent execution.
First snap in pass protection. He helps the center get a favorable angle against the defender and then looks for a place to help. He finds and throws the defender, who was engaged with Abe Lucas, to the ground.
He helps the center execute the reach block and goes to the second level. He has excellent contact with the LB, moving him with extreme ease.
The first snap has something he could improve on. His timing on the snap isn’t great, and his angle to block the DT is quite poor. However, notice his physical strength again. He pushes a 300-pound defensive tackle a few yards back with extreme ease.
Bradford reaches the second level well, but his hand positioning isn’t the best. However, what I want to highlight here is his speed. Compare with other OLs and see how close he is to the RB on the play explains his 9.74 Relative Athletic Score (RAS).
His hands still come out wide again, but he knows when to release them before a holding is called. Getting this timing right can significantly reduce his penalties.
A more lateral block is required here, and Bradford delivers. He even finishes the play with a pancake.
With brute force, he displaces the defender and creates a gap for the run. Run blocking has always been Bradford’s greatest strength; again, he just needs to do it consistently.
All snaps above are in chronological order. The following snaps have been taken out of order to address a minor caveat: Bradford’s mindset.
Notice the difference in his posture during the snap. At first, he’s aggressive, pushing the opponent and moving his feet well. At one point, he pushes without moving his feet and “basically stops” in the play. He needs to keep this engine running from start to finish.
Here’s an example of him doing this. He gets to the linebacker and only stops pushing him when he hears the whistle. But notice how much he moved the opponent. Bradford is easily the most brute-forced OL we have.
Another example.
Some Other Options…
As I wrote previously, the concern is that if Bradford performs like he did last year, who will the Seahawks turn to now? So, I’ve come up with some options who could at least compete for Bradford’s starting spot or be more promising backups than Haynes and Laumea:
Dalton Risner, FA
Coincidentally, it was reported that he will visit Seattle, after visiting a few teams (Bengals and Steelers). Risner is an interesting case. He’s always been an excellent player. He left the Denver Broncos and never got a multi-year contract, something that always intrigued me. I’m not arguing that he’s one of the best guards in the league. But his 5,000-plus snaps are better than many on the roster, even with starting status.
Cole Strange, Patriots
Strange was a surprise when he was picked in the first round in 2022. I had him fairly high on the board, but not in the top 32. He had a good first few years in New England, but was cut short by a knee injury. He’s now lost his starting spot to rookie Jared Wilson and has begun taking snaps as a backup center after Garrett Bradbury was injured. He’s been placed on a potential cut to 53, and the Seahawks could anticipate this by trying to trade for a low fee or trying to acquire him on waivers.
Final Thoughts
It’s undeniable that Bradford has shown improvement in the first few preseason games. However, I always caution that the preseason isn’t the time for high praise or despair.
Even with this improvement, there are still technical issues to address. Would these issues keep Bradford in a cycle of inconsistency? Or could a more experienced coaching staff, with John Benton in the mix, fix this?
I hope the answer to the last question is yes. However, I reiterate that the Seahawks are preparing for a world where Bradford doesn’t make this leap in production.
