Seahawks introduced new candidate in center competition at minicamp

In 2024, the Seattle Seahawks' offensive line finished 31st in the league as a unit, per Pro Football Focus. 

Left tackle Charles Cross and right tackle Abraham Lucas had solid seasons last year, making them valuable pieces to the current group.

The issue is on the inside. With the interior of the offensive line being arguably the Seahawks' biggest holes on the roster, the team is in desperate need for change.

The Seahawks started off their much-needed changes by drafting Grey Zabel in the first round of this year's draft. Zabel was one of college football's best and most versatile offensive lineman in 2024, allowing him to slide into the starting left guard position with ease. 

Throughout the offseason, the battle for Seattle's starting center job has been between third-year pro, Olu Oluwatimi, and former UDFA, Jalen Sundell.

Both players posted below-average PFF grades in 2024, making the center position still an uncertainty. However, there appears to be an new entrant into the mix.

Although second-year pro Christian Haynes lined up only at guard in his rookie year and during his whole college career at UConn, he is now getting a look at center in practice, according to Gregg Bell of The Tacoma News Tribune.

With the starting job wide open, Haynes took 11-on-11 reps at center both days of minicamp last week with the intention to fill the hole on the roster and become the team's center of the future.

At the Reese's Senior Bowl in 2024, Haynes took center snaps to show off his versatility and excelled at it. 

Coming out of the University of Connecticut in 2024, Haynes was viewed as one of the best guards in the draft and a steal for the Seahawks, who got him in the third round of the draft.

Haynes posted a respectable PFF grade of 48.5 his rookie year on only 167 snaps.

With new Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak being a very O-line-friendly coach, the sky's the limit for Haynes, no matter where he ends up.