Dec 22, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Vikings guard Dalton Risner (66) blocks Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II (91) during the first half at Lumen Field. Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

NFL free agency: Seahawks need to sign 'solid starter' at weak spot before it's too late

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Tim Weaver | Last updated Jul 19, 2025 5:00 PM ET

We are now just three days removed from veterans reporting to training camp for the Seattle Seahawks. And yet, the front office seems satsified with rolling out four of the same five starting offensive linemen they did last season - which ended with the unit ranking second-worst in the entire NFL.

To their credit, the one change they did make should help - as Grey Zabel projects as a big upgrade over Laken Tomlinson at left guard even as a rookie. Zabel can also play center or right guard, but he can only do one at a time - therefore the Seahawks could still use some help at those positions.

On that note, there are some quality free agents out there - including one who played with Sam Darnold in Minnesota last season. Dalton Risner is not only still available, but Bleacher Report has ranked him as one of the league's top free agents going into training camp.

B/R on free agent Dalton Risner

"Surprisingly, Risner remains unsigned in the late offseason once again. It's surprising because Risner has been a fairly solid starter throughout his career. Though he left a little something to be desired as a run blocker last season, he remained one of the NFL's better pass protectors."

Risner (6-foot-5, 312 pounds) just turned 30 years old last week, and he's already put in 81 starts in the NFL, including eight last season with the Vikings.

Pro Football Focus approved of what he did in pass protection, grading him out at 76.2 in that department. Risner only scored a 57.4 in run blocking ,though - bringing his overall grade for the season down to 67.0. Had he played enough snaps to qualify, that would have ranked him 26th at his position.

Meanwhile, Anthony Bradford came in at 48.3 overall for Seattle, ranking 72nd among guards. After both Bradford and Christian Haynes bombed, the Seahawks tried Sataoa Laumea, who ended up at 37.9 overall for the year - which ranked 77th, or dead last at this spot.

Obviously Risner qualifies as a potential big upgrade at right guard for Seattle. The real question is whether the front office is interested in that sort of thing. Experience says general manager John Schneider doesn't see it as a priority and won't be signing Risner (or any other iOL) unless one of their starters goes down with an injury at camp.

That makes this a blind spot that gets more frustrating every single year.

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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