Christian Haynes in Danger of Seahawks' Cutting Board

Haynes came to UConn as a two-star high school prospect in the 2018 national recruiting class. He also received offers from Virginia, Marshall, Buffalo and Navy. After redshirting in 2018, Haynes went on to start the last four years of his collegiate career. He played incredibly well in those four years despite the Huskies being unbelievably bad. This led to Haynes being drafted in the third round, 81st overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Haynes had a chance to develop with a young Seahawks offensive line, but hasn’t been able to separate himself. Haynes played 24 games within the last two seasons, but only eight games last season. Offensive line coach John Benton had tried to get him to compete for the starting left guard, right guard and center, but he hasn’t been able to cement himself as a starter. He is now starting to look like he is losing his place as a second-teamer.

What Haynes Brings to the Seahawks

There are several good aspects that make Haynes a player who should’ve been a serious contender for a starter. One of the first is his strong hand placement and technique in his pass protection. He possesses impressive athleticism as he could pull behind the offensive line and climb to the second level of the defense.

He is able to move around on the field if his poor footwork and balance don’t get in his way. It is a reason why he didn’t lock down the starting center position in check. He also had a great amount of experience at the collegiate level and a good amount in his two seasons with the Seahawks, but he has yet to solidify his case for a starter.

Last Chance for Haynes?

The Seahawks have given Haynes several chances to compete for a key playing spot. Now, he might be playing to contend for a roster spot. The coaching staff has been open to allowing some of their younger players a chance to battle for a backup spot on a developing offensive line.

Both Bryce Cabeldue and Mason Richman are serious candidates to contend for a backup spot in their second year in the league. This would mean that Haynes has run out of chances. If Haynes were to be cut during the training camp, Haynes would have a dead cap hit of $260,048 in each of the 2026 and 2027 seasons, but they would save $1.3 million in salary cap.