With their first three picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks have seemingly filled holes left by three major player defections: Kenneth Walker III, Coby Bryant and Riq Woolen.
One free agency loss that has not been directly addressed yet (as of the fifth round) is the Boye Mafe pass rusher role. Logically, one could assume that might be the next target… that would not end up being the case, however.
The Seahawks sacrificed future compensation for the next NFL Draft (one that is already
being speculatively pinned as a much deeper draft class), trading a 2027 fourth round pick for the ability to make an aggressive fifth Round move to secure OG from Iowa, Beau Stephens on Day 3 of league’s selection process.
What does that say for the roster, and how the Hawks’ coaching staff and front office view the future direction of the ballclub? We’ll have to wait to answer that question fully, but let’s explore a few thoughts.
Let’s start with the strengths that Stephens brings to the table. Two of his Iowa teammates on the line were taken before him (OG, Gennings Dunker and C, Logan Jones), but that does not make him the slouch of the group. He was named First Team All-Big 10 in his final season and didn’t give up a sack all year. He excels in zone blocking concepts in the run game and finishes blocks (something that hasn’t always happened at the RG spot).
Why did Stephens last until the fifth Round? It could be a combination of factors, with NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein citing “Short arms, average athleticism and scheme-friendly surroundings” as potential limiting factors. Zierlein goes on to call him “a starter if he finds the right team fit.” Could Seattle be that fit?
Offensive line specialist, Brandon Thorn, said that Stephens, “brings a physical, chippy demeanor to deliver body blows and finish with intent.” That description seems to overlap somewhat with the strengths that Seattle’s current RG brings to the table.
Anthony Bradford’s struggles with consistency at the right guard position have been well-documented and ranted about on social media. Has he even become over-hated at this point? Bradford can absolutely bury some of the stoutest DT’s in the league in the run game, but then completely whiff on a pass block on the same drive.
Now, that type of uneven play proved good enough to win a Super Bowl, but the Seahawks may be having visions of a cleaner operation with the blocking unit in front of Sam Darnold.
Bradford is on the last year of his rookie deal, and in the last three drafts Seattle has taken Christian Haynes (3rd Round), Grey Zabel (1st Round) and Bryce Cabeldue (6th Round) at the OG position. The pick of Beau Stephens as the 4th player drafted by the Hawks this year ensures that the offensive line will be awash with competition this year.
While it’s unlikely that HC Mike Macdonald, OC Brian Fleury and the coaching staff will replace starting Super Bowl champion, Anthony Bradford right away, this could be a move that lights a fire under him to continue his growth in the face of legitimate competition. Haynes (who has not lived up to his pre-draft billing from the 2024 draft), Stephens and Cabeldue could easily be in competition for a roster spot for the 2026 NFL season.
We can definitely hope that A.B. levels out and Haynes figures it out at the pro level, but it’s just smart business to have contingency plans on deck. Especially when your business is defending a world title and trying to chase the elusive back-to-back championship run.
Is it crazy to think that preseason offensive line action is going to have us on the edge of our collective seats?! What a time to be alive. Cabeldue could be the next man up if the Seahawks want improvement opposite breakout rookie, Zabel— but Beau Stephens is an exciting developmental prospect who could fit neatly into Seattle’s zone run scheme.
In addition to competition on the line, a macro view might tell us that players such as Ricky White III, Cody White, Amari Kight, Mason Richman, and Jacardia Wright could be battling for just a few roster spots on offense.
On defense, the numbers game could dictate that guys like Jared Ivey, Connor O’Toole, Jamie Sheriff, Chazz Surratt, Chris “Pooh” Paul Jr., D’Anthony Bell, and Rodney Thomas II will scrap to make their individual cases that they belong on the initial 53 heading into the new campaign.
The next generation of Seahawks football is close at hand, and John Schneider is not afraid of a little competition.
