The Seattle Seahawks spent recent years throwing resources at their offensive line, but this past offseason brought a much lighter touch. The only notable addition was Beau Stephens, the fifth-round Iowa pick who entered the picture with a real shot to compete for the right guard job.
Stephens never quite seized it. Anthony Bradford kept the spot, and even after Bradford landed on IR with a hip and knee injury, Seattle still did not turn to Stephens. Instead, the Seahawks stayed with Christian Haynes as the starter.
That leaves the door open for 2027, and Cody Williams of FanSided sees Seattle using the draft to keep working on the interior. In his latest mock, the Seahawks take Kade Pieper with the 23rd pick.
Williams was blunt about what Pieper brings to the table, describing him as “an absolute beast on the interior.” He also called him a road-grader and said Seattle would be much better off with Pieper lined up next to 2025 first-round pick Grey Zabel.
“Death, taxes and the Seahawks still trying to solidify the offensive line, specifically on the interior. This is a group that they've been able to get the most out of with moving parts aside from Grey Zabel, but it's an area that could cause a lot less stress moving forward if they were to draft someone like Kade Pieper,” Williams wrote. “He's an absolute beast on the interior and someone who could prove to be an effective road-grader alongside Zabel on the interior.”
Pieper’s reputation as a run-game bully has already been building. In April, PFF labeled him their top interior lineman and ranked him 34th overall. They also said he was the fifth-highest-rated guard in the NCAA last season and noted that he was a bulldozer in the run game while committing only one penalty in 2025.
“Pieper is every bit the bulldozing run blocker we've come to expect from the Iowa pipeline. He ranked fifth among guards in college football in PFF overall grade last year and committed just one penalty despite playing in some raucous Big Ten environments.”
There’s another layer here, too. Pieper has taken snaps at center in addition to guard, which gives Seattle some flexibility if Stephens develops into a starter. In that scenario, the Seahawks could pair the two Iowa linemen side by side and build an interior group with Zabel that could hold together for years.
In Other News...
Seahawks Fans May Have A Week 4 Viewing Problem
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Andrew Catalon and Logan Ryan are on the call, and the timing is awkward for a fan base that will have to keep an eye on where the game lands before kickoff. The good news is that Seattle has several nationally televised games coming up, so this shouldnt be a season-long headache, but Week 4 could still leave plenty of viewers searching for an alternate plan. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Backfield Suddenly Has A New Reason For Hope
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Seahawks Get A Needed Secondary Boost As Bigger Concerns Linger
Julian Loves return comes at a welcome time for a Seattle defense that could use a steadier hand in the back end. The safety missed Week 3 with a calf injury, but he is expected back for Week 4, giving the Seahawks a needed boost as they try to keep their secondary intact heading into another key game.
The broader injury picture is still less clean. Ty Okada remains questionable after sitting out the first three games with a hamstring injury, while Jadarian Price will miss Week 4 after aggravating a chest injury in Week 3. There is also some light on the horizon in the backfield, with Zach Charbonnet possibly on track to return in Week 5 as he works back from a knee injury. [Read more 🡒]