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The Seattle Seahawks have had massive problems on the offensive line all season long, and those problems got worse on Friday. Ahead of a huge division matchup with the San Francisco 49ers, head coach Mike Macdonald announced that starting center Connor Williams has decided to retire, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media.
“Seahawks starting C Connor Williams has decided to retire, per coach Mike Macdonald,” Rapoport wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Just 27 years old, Williams has started every game for Seattle after overcoming a major knee injury from his time in Miami.”
Williams has started all nine games for the Seahawks this season, but he has struggled in recent weeks. The Seahawks have had some problems with the center-quarterback exchange, both in the shotgun and under center, especially in the red zone. That has cost them in games against the Bills and the Rams.
Overall, the interior of the Seahawks offensive line has been an unmitigated disaster, and losing someone who can play both center and guard is a huge loss. Anthony Bradford has underperformed at guard, and the team is just lacking depth overall at those spots. After this shocking announcement, the job will get even harder for Geno Smith and this Seahawks offense.
The loss of Williams will certainly be felt on Sunday in a game that could make or break the Seahawks’ season. With a loss, the Seahawks would drop to 4-6 and would have a nearly insurmountable hill to climb in the NFC Wild Card race. They would also fall two games behind the 49ers in the NFC West after losing both head-to-head matchups.
From an X’s and O’s standpoint, it’s not ideal to lose a body on the interior either. The Seahawks will have to push extra help towards Nick Bosa on the outside, so the blockers on the interior will be asked to hold up one-on-one with no help.
Olu Oluwatimi, a second year player who was drafted in the fifth round in 2023, is the new starting center and Jalen Sundell will be the backup.
There was some good news for the Seahawks up front, as right tackle Abe Lucas is making his season debut after missing the first nine games with an injury. It’s unclear whether Lucas will play his full complement of snaps, but just having another competent body on the offensive line will give the offense a big boost.
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