ESPN thinks Seahawks starter’s days could be numbered after the 2026 NFL Draft, which means he’d be on a different team next year
The Seattle Seahawks don’t have a lot to figure out when it comes to the starting positions on both sides of the ball, but there is one spot that could undergo change at some point, soon.
The Seattle Seahawks wrapped up rookie minicamp last weekend, so the next move is integrating all the first-year players with the veterans.
It’s the next step toward carving out/implementing competition throughout the roster. For some guys, they’ll meet either new teammates who are vying for their job, whether they’re a starter or a backup.
One area a lot of people have an eye on is Anthony Bradford and the left guard position. It’s safe to say Bradford had a very up-and-down 2025 season, with more downs than ups. Therefore the selection of former Iowa Hawkeyes guard Beau Stephens in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft offers a future scenario where the two battle it out and the rookie ends up as the Seahawks’ new starter at left guard.
ESPN’s Ben Solak recently commented on the Seahawks’ potential situation and noted as much:
“… Bradford’s job is likely safe for Week 1. But if he continues to be the weak link in an otherwise solid O-line, the Seahawks will look into playing the rookie…
“… Like most Day 3 picks, Stephens has unspectacular measureables. But like 2024 UDFA Jalen Sundell, who won a starting job at center in 2025, Stephens is a strainer with good hands and the upper-body power to survive just long enough against physically superior opponents.
“The issue with Bradford is the quick losses; Stephens’ losses tend to be much more laborious.”
ben solak
ESPN
There’s an interesting point in Solak’s point about Sundell that makes the idea of Stephens as the Week 1 starter more plausible: Sundell won the starting center job ahead of the regular season. He started Week 1.
Sure, there’s still a ways to go. I mean, as mentioned earlier, the vets and rookies haven’t even been on the practice field at the same time, yet.
Beau Stephens beating out Anthony Bradford is the ideal scenario for the Seahawks
2026 is Bradford’s fourth season in the league and it’s safe to say, by now, we’ve seen his ceiling. While a fifth-round pick, the scenario in which Stephens wins is the best-case scenario because not only did a rookie beat out a player with 38 NFL starts under his belt, but his ceiling is probably already higher than what Bradford’s offering. That obviously means big things for both the short- and long-term picture.
And, the Seahawks would have pretty solid depth with Bradford as the next man up at guard. He did put together a decent stretch of play during the middle-to-back parts of last year, showing that he can offer consistent quality snaps. He just can’t do it consistently enough for 17+ games.
Unfortunately, this would basically means Bradford is out of the picture in 2027. This is the last year of his contract and he’d want to look for a new opportunity, elsewhere. One where he could challenge for a starting spot and that wouldn’t be in Seattle in this hypothetical.
This is definitely one of the main storylines to keep an eye on over the next few months.