Field Gulls
I didn’t know that Anthony Bradford has so many fans. But, reading the comments on my latest articles, I saw many readers asking for an analysis of what Bradford has shown so far during Seattle Seahawks preseason.
So, in response to requests, let’s get to the analysis!
Bradford had an exceptional game against the Kansas City Chiefs. I don’t think he had a great game against the Raiders, but he played much better alongside Abe Lucas than he did last year.
Now, I’ll explain the context of my criticism regarding the Seahawks’ planning for the starting right guard role. First and foremost, I’m a Seahawks fan, so when I criticize, it’s based on what I see on tape, but I always hope the players prove me wrong. A recent example was Jarran Reed. I wasn’t thrilled at all when he was signed, but Reed has proven to be a pillar in the heart of our defensive line and in the locker room.
That said, let’s get to my thoughts on Bradford. Let’s start with the facts (via PFF):
The Seahawks made a major upgrade at the starting LG position with the first-round pick Gray Zabel. However, there was no investment at that level at starting right guard. Bradford’s backup is Christian Haynes. The former UConn player had great potential in Seattle’s scheme last year and even greater potential in Klint Kubiak and John Benton’s wide zone scheme. Haynes has seemingly lost the battle against Bradford.
It’s worth remembering that Haynes himself lost a possible starting spot to sixth-round pick Sataoa Laumea, who is now at risk of being cut due to his inability to excel against third- and fourth-string defenders. The Seahawks could have a lot of faith in Bradford’s growth, but they couldn’t rely solely on a sixth-round rookie (Bryce Cabeldue) and a seventh-rounder (Mason Richman).
This is different from the center position, for example. I believe the Seahawks have two players with starting potential in Jalen Sundell and Olu Oluwatimi. The same can’t be said about Bradford’s backups. Bradford himself has struggled with consistency up to this point in his career.
He was PFF’s leading offensive grader among all right guards in Week 2.
Bradford is strong. In fact, he’s very strong. He blocks the DT from the outside in, and you can see that when he uses the right technique and maximizes his raw strength, he’s capable of doing just that. The opponent ends the play closer to the opposite sideline than close to doing anything against the RB.
Excellent pull by Bradford. I wanted to highlight AJ Barner’s (#88) incredible...
