Prepare for a center priority

The most illuminating comment from Klint Kubiak during a day of interviews yesterday was a remark he made to Softy & Dick on KJR:

“If you’re going to be successful in the zone scheme, it all starts with an elite center.”

With the greatest respect to Olu Oluwatimi, he is not an elite center. Given the Seahawks replaced him right before the 2024 season began with a player who retired after week eight, I’m not sure they see elite potential in the former fifth round pick.

As Jeff Simmons noted on our stream yesterday, the first move made by Atlanta when they appointed Kyle Shanahan as offensive coordinator was to sign free agent Alex Mack. It was an inspired move. Mack led the line as they made the Super Bowl in his first season with the Falcons in 2016.

Based on Kubiak’s comments, you’ve got to believe the Seahawks are looking for a center upgrade. So is an elite player available?

The top five graded centers in 2024 per PFF were Creed Humphrey, Frank Ragnow, Tyler Linderbaum, Drew Dalman and Zach Frazier. Dalman will be a free agent. He seems like a clear target. He also had an 82.3 grade for zone blocking, good enough for sixth among centers. None of the rest of the top-10 zone blockers are available (unless the Vikings cut Garrett Bradbury, who ranked ninth). In 2023, Dalman’s zone blocking grade was even better — an elite 90.9.

In terms of age (26), fit and positional need — he ticks every box.

Ryan Kelly is an alternative if they want experience. His zone blocking grade was poor in 2024 (57.8) but he graded well in zone in 2023 (75.4). It’ll likely come down to how much you believe he has left in the tank. If you can’t get Dalman, signing Kelly is probably the best alternative. His experience would be very useful and you’d just need to take a chance on him regaining his best form.

One other option could be James Daniels. He switched to guard in the NFL after playing center at Iowa. Among all NFL offensive linemen in 2024 he ranked third for zone blocking grade (93.2). Moving Daniels back to center could be a fit. The concern is he tore his achilles in September so how is his recovery going and will his play be effected by the injury? He could be cheap but he could also be a major gamble, unless he comes at a bargain price.

This isn’t a good draft at center with extremely limited options. Given what Kubiak is saying, it also stands to reason they might want someone with starting experience. It’s been noted by many that the scheme relies on the center to call protections. This doesn’t feel like a job for a rookie.

I’ve been projecting the Seahawks to make an offensive line splash early in free agency, just as they did last year by retaining Leonard Williams and the year prior by signing Dre’Mont Jones. After hearing Kubiak today, I’m convinced Dalman could be a target, potentially to the tune of a deal between Ragnow’s $13.5m a year and Humphrey’s league-leading $18m a year. If it’s not him, Kelly feels like a probable next man up. I think the Seahawks will sign one of these two players if they reach the open market.

I had previously thought Green Bay’s Josh Myers could be an option but his zone blocking grade has been consistently poor. Unless they think he has untapped potential (and the Packers tend to get the most out of their linemen) he feels like an unlikely fit.

Zone blocking matters?

I’ve been arguing not to read too much into zone and gap schemes when judging who may or may not be drafted by the Seahawks. My main reason for this was the Saints drafting a big, physical mauler in Taliese Fuaga with their first round pick a year ago. I was 100% wrong for holding this view.

Fuaga actually had an outstanding zone-blocking grade at Oregon State (91.3). His gap-blocking grade was still good (78.9) but it’s clear he excelled more in zone. This probably convinced the Saints to take him.

Given Kubiak has stated the base for his blocking scheme will contain a lot of outside zone, with O-line coach John Benton being a big proponent of the system, it seems pretty clear that we should be focusing on zone blocking experts in free agency and the draft.

It’s also worth noting that Christian Haynes, Seattle’s third round pick a year ago, also excelled as a zone blocker at UConn (89.2). Don’t be surprised if Haynes receives a fresh start and a new lease of life in 2025, potentially getting the opportunity to start at right guard. He was a day two pick after all. I would imagine he’ll get a second chance to make that job his own.

Who are the available veterans and draft prospects who grade well in zone?

Even if the Seahawks don’t sign James Daniels to convert him back to center, it makes sense to consider signing him to compete at left guard. Trey Smith (82.8) has a good zone-blocking grade but will be extremely expensive and potentially out of reach. Mekhi Becton (74.8) surprisingly performed well in zone for his size. He might be expensive too after helping the Eagles win the Super Bowl.

Will Fries (91.2) has shown to be an excellent zone-blocking guard, while there’s a thought Trey Pipkins III (74.0) could be a cap casualty for the Chargers. Teven Jenkins, another free agent, graded at 70.5 but in 2023 he scored an 85.7. Ben Cleveland in Baltimore, someone I really liked when he was at Georgia, had a 2023 zone blocking grade of 81.9 (albeit from just 39 snaps). Coleman Shelton struggled in zone in 2024 (58.7) but the previous year excelled (87.3).

Could the trade market come into play? If the Chiefs move to retain Trey Smith at a high price, could Joe Thuney become available? His zone blocking grade was a 79.1 in 2024. Kansas City can’t pay everybody.

It’s also worth thinking outside of the box. Jedrick Wills wasn’t much of a run-blocker in Cleveland but I think he’s been playing out of position at tackle. Kick him inside to guard and maybe he can be this year’s answer to Becton in Philly?

There also has to be a chance Lucas Patrick comes in as a draft hedge. He had an acceptable 68.7 grade in Kubiak and Benton’s zone scheme for New Orleans last season. As an experienced veteran he’d be an obvious signing to make — especially to cover the possibility you miss out on a guard in the draft.

In terms of the rookie class, there are several players who graded well in zone.

William & Mary left tackle Charles Grant leads the way with a 92.8 grade. However, he feels very much a tackle rather than a natural fit at guard. Wyatt Milum, the West Virginia left tackle who is also projected to guard, had a 90.3 grade in zone.

There are a host of other players who graded 80 or above in zone per PFF:

Charles Grant (T) — 92.8
Wyatt Milum (G) —- 90.3
Armand Membou (T/G) —- 87.5
Jack Nelson (T/G) —- 86.4
Logan Brown (T) — 85.2
Clay Webb (G/C) — 84.9
Grey Zabel (G/C) —- 84.8
Cameron Williams (T) —- 84.0
Marcus Mbow (T/G) —- 81.6
Kelvin Banks Jr (T/G) —- 81.5
Connor Colby (G) —- 81.3

It might be worth keeping an eye on Iowa’s Colby. The Hawkeyes are good at producing linemen and tight ends. He’s played both guard spots and right tackle. He apparently ran a 4.47 short shuttle and jumped a 30 inch vertical in High School. He started 50 games at Iowa, the second-most by an offensive lineman in the Kirk Ferentz era. The Hawkeyes ran for 200+ yards in eight games in 2024, the most by the team since 2015.

Seahawks fans aren’t going to be dancing in the streets with mid-round picks on Iowa linemen but this might be exactly what they need. Listen to him speak and watch his tape. He’s a tough, athletic, gritty foundational blocker. As much as I want to see a big effort to invest in the line, adding players like Colby, Jack Nelson and Grey Zabel is a way to build structure and fit. You don’t have to avoid drafting a guard early but if you go in a different direction it’s not the end of the world.

Jared Wilson the Georgia center is just outside the 80’s range with a 78.9 but again, I’m not sure how keen the Seahawks will be to draft a center early. Jonah Monheim (69.4) and Jake Majors (63.8) graded surprisingly poorly in zone given the style and schemes they play in.

If you extend the list out to the 70’s, Aireontae Ersery (77.3), Dylan Fairchild (77.2), Will Campbell (74.5), Josh Conerly Jr (73.7) and Donovan Jackson (73.2) all grade reasonably well. I’m not worried about Tyler Booker’s 65.5 in zone — I’ve seen enough on tape to think he can play either scheme at a high level and believe he will be coveted by many teams. Tate Ratledge, equally, should be able to block well in zone. He graded at 71.4 in 2024 and a 74.3 the year before.

There are plenty of options here — whether they want to go early or wait until the middle rounds. Ideally, given the dearth of draftable centers and need for ‘elite’ qualities at the position, they acquire a top center. In a perfect world, they also add a quality left guard. Whatever happens, they have plenty of good zone blocking offensive linemen in this draft to target — either to compete to start immediately or to draft and develop behind a new veteran presence.

The Seahawks should be able to take a step forward on the O-line this year. It might not be a Chiefs-style 2021 rebuild, creating an instant turnaround up front, but that isn’t realistic based on what’s available.

Best player available is probably the key

The Seahawks have been very disciplined in the draft in recent years, rejecting forcing needs and relying on their grades with their highest picks. It felt like a reaction to the 2019 draft, where they reached to fill a defensive line need in round one (LJ Collier).

They haven’t forced anything since, instead preferring to let the board come to them. They’ll likely maintain that approach in 2025.

It does mean making some free agency moves on the offensive line to set up the opportunity to go best player available with their top pick. If they get that done, anything is on the table at #18.

Understandably at the moment most mocks pair the Seahawks with an offensive or defensive lineman. It could easily be the case that a trenches player is BPA in round one. It’s absolutely critical they make signings in free agency to create the opportunity to let the draft come to them. This is one of the things that has really served Howie Roseman well in Philadelphia in recent years.

I wouldn’t react too badly if you see a mock, like Lance Zierlein’s, where he paired the Seahawks with Luther Burden. If he lasted to #18, he could easily be best player available. He’s one of the most talented players in the draft. You also see Colston Loveland last to #18 in some mocks or linebacker Jalon Walker.

Seattle’s approach of BPA plus high football character will likely shape what they do with their top pick. If a quality offensive lineman (Booker, Membou, Banks Jr) lasts to #18 — need could match value. If they sign veterans to upgrade the O-line, they’ll have great flexibility in the draft.

Don’t underestimate the football character aspect either — it’s clearly played a big part in their thinking in recent drafts. The likes of Tyler Booker, Jalon Walker, Jahdae Barron and Jack Sawyer are celebrated for their toughness, leadership and football character. This is also why I think the quarterbacks will interest Seattle — there are several high character, high upside signal callers in this class.