Since pads have yet to come out with training camp still almost six weeks away, the Seattle Seahawks have yet to have much of a real opportunity to truly evaluate their offensive line, most notably in the interior where they will have three new starters at center and both guard spots.
Keeping that in mind, it would be easy to overreact to Seattle’s current situation at right guard, where second-year blocker McClendon Curtis received all of the first-team reps during OTAs and mandatory minicamp instead of returning starter Anthony Bradford and third-round pick Christian Haynes. The fact Bradford missed most of the offseason program obviously impacted those rotations as well and if healthy, he’s probably getting all of those reps.
Even with him being the most seasoned candidate and the incumbent after starting 10 games as a rookie, however, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald didn’t commit to Bradford in his closing press conference after the team’s final minicamp practice, making it clear a “great competition” awaits once training camp opens in late July.
“He’s right there. Just good to see him out there. Missed a little bit of time there throughout some of the OTAs. He’s right in the mix. Got a great competition, especially on the right side of the line, and he’s right there. He’s got a great opportunity to go earn himself a job. “
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From a positional battle standpoint, Seattle won’t open camp with many question marks in regard to starters on either side of the football. That includes left guard and center, where veteran Laken Tomlinson and second-year blocker Olu Oluwatimi look to have a strong grip on their respective positions and barring an unexpected surprise or injury, they should be in the starting lineup against Denver in Week 1.
On defense, the most notable competitions for the Seahawks will be for reserve or rotational roles with much of the starting lineup already etched in stone.
But as Macdonald acknowledged, the same cannot be said for the right guard spot, as Bradford’s injury only created more uncertainty heading towards camp. And, maybe most importantly, his absence opened the door for a third viable option in Curtis to jump into the competition this spring.
Starring at Chattanooga, Curtis developed into an NFL prospect playing multiple positions for the Mocs, starting 30 games at right guard and seven games at left tackle in six seasons with the program. Along with being named All-SoCon First-Team three times to close out his college career, he earned FCS All American distinction in 2022 and participated in the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Standing 6-6 and weighing 328 pounds, Curtis looks more like an NFL tackle with a tall, athletic frame. But he delivers powerful blows to the frame of opposing defenders with bricks for hands and uses excellent length to create push in the run game as well as keeping hands on pass rushers, possessing the skill set to excel in the interior despite his height.
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Viewed as a bit of a tweener by NFL evaluators, Curtis went undrafted and signed with the Raiders, ultimately landing on the practice squad after failing to make the team out of training camp. Once the Seahawks lost tackles Abraham Lucas and Charles Cross to injury in the season opener, they promptly signed him and fellow undrafted rookie Raiqwon O’Neal to the 53-man roster as developmental insurance policies.
Though he only played a handful of special teams snaps in one game as a rookie, general manager John Schneider name dropped Curtis as a player to watch during the NFL annual meetings in March, clearly impressing behind the scenes. Drafting Haynes, a two-time All American at UConn, seemed to suggest he wouldn’t be in the hunt for a starting job.
Yet, with Haynes exclusively working with Seattle’s second-team offense throughout the spring program and Bradford sidelined, Curtis benefitted as much as anyone on the roster from extensive practice reps over the past month, positioning himself to be major player in an already intriguing competition come July.
“He knows multiple spots, so if you know what to do it’s easy to move you around,” Macdonald said of Curtis during OTAs in late May. “I think the whole offensive line — it’s always one big puzzle piece as you trying to find the best five and the backup plan if someone can’t go and making sure you have enough depth so you’re not looking in the middle of the season and you have really no options. He’s doing a great job. Had a great offseason.”
Seahawks guard McClendon Curtis communicates with an assistant coach during a run fit drill at OTAs. / Corbin Smith/All Seahawks
Looking towards the 2024 season, based on experience alone, Bradford likely remains the favorite to win Seattle’s starting job after getting his feet wet last year with Haynes being the biggest threat to usurp him from the lineup. With both players being recent mid-round draft picks for Seattle, the team has made significant investments in them and in an ideal scenario, at least one of those young blockers will develop into a foundational long-term starter under the tutelage of new line coach Scott Huff.
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At the same time, while he had plenty of positive things to say after the final minicamp practice, Macdonald and his staff don’t have any allegiance to Bradford and as a rookie without any NFL experience, Haynes won’t be given a starting job by default either. Huff will be ramping up the evaluation process when the pads come on and the real bullets start flying in August, and based on how things have transpired so far, it looks to be anyone’s race coming out of the offseason program.
Once viewed as little more than a curiosity, Curtis very much has emerged as a horse worth potentially betting on to go the distance. Considering both he and Haynes are the same age (24) and each have Senior Bowl pedigree with quality physical traits for playing inside, even if he’s still an underdog at this stage, it would be unwise to rule out the former as a legitimate contender to hold onto the starting job and fend off his counterparts in camp and the preseason.
Seattle’s Bill Nye the Science Guy is among the stars.
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The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has awarded Nye a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, cementing his cultural impact in terrazzo and brass among the likes of Michael Jackson and Marilyn Monroe.
Nye is one of eight honorees to earn a star this year in the television category. The chamber of commerce also awarded stars in motion pictures, live theater/live performance, radio, recording and sports entertainment.
“Each honoree truly embodies the essence of excellence in their respective fields,” said Peter Roth, chairman of the Walk of Fame Selection Committee, in an online announcement.
Other honorees include Jessica Chastain, Colin Farrell and Jane Fonda in the motion pictures category, a posthumous star for Prince in the recording category and a sports recording star for David Beckham.
Between 24 to 30 stars are inducted once a year in June, according to the Walk of Fame website. The committee receives an average of two hundred applications each year.
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Before he was “The Science Guy,” Bill Nye came to Seattle in the 1970s to work as a Boeing engineer. An astronomy class with Carl Sagan at Cornell University had stoked his appreciation for science.
Nye entered the world of comedy after winning a Steve Martin look-alike contest. A relationship with John Keister got Nye working on “Almost Live!” in the ’80s, and a canceled guest allowed the classic KING-TV sketch show to shine a spotlight on Nye for the first time.
After cutting his teeth on the Seattle comedy scene, Nye’s energetic blend of entertainment and education struck a chord in “Bill Nye the Science Guy.” The show appeared before Saturday Night Live and later on Comedy Central, winning 19 Emmy Awards during its 1993-1998 run on KCTS-TV.
Beyond serving as CEO of The Planetary Society and on the board of the Mount St. Helens Institute, Nye has appeared on countless TV programs and written more than a dozen books for kids and adults.
Material from The Seattle Times archives was used in this report.
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Vonnai Phair: 206-464-2757 or vphair@seattletimes.com;Vonnai Phair covers morning breaking news and enterprise for The Seattle Times.
The Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than a month, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.
In preparation for the new incoming season, we’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best and worst case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.
Will A.J. Barner factor in as a rookie for the Seahawks?
Barner was a three-star recruit out of high school in the 2020 class and committed to Indiana. He spent his first three seasons at Indiana and didn’t see much production despite being active for 30 games. He transferred to Michigan as a four-star transfer portal recruit for his final season in 2023 where he helped the Wolverines win the National Championship. He was the secondary option at tight end for the Wolverines, primarily used as a blocker opposite of potential 2025 first-round pick Colston Loveland. Barner did catch 22 passes for 249 yards and one touchdown, including an impressive 11.3 yards per catch as tight end No. 2. The Seahawks selected Barner in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft to play a similar role.
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The way that offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has called games in the past, Barner theoretically fits in as a blocking TE2 with pass-catching upside. Barner fits that profile perfectly and shows there could be more underneath the surface.
With tight end depth not set in stone, Barner grabs it by the horns during training camp and doesn’t let it go. His size at 6-6 and 251 pounds is prime for the position and he uses it to his advantage in all phases of the game. He is the prime complement to Noah Fant and emerges as a regular rotational player going into 2024.
While the potential is there for Barner to be the next Colby Parkinson, he proves to be too raw and struggles with consistency. Despite having played some of the best competition college football has to offer, NFL defensive linemen give him fits in the running game and he can’t hold onto blocks. Those struggles send him down the depth chart.
Barner is a really intriguing bet to make at tight end. He possesses ample size for the position and more than capable athleticism with an 8.70 Relative Athletic Score. His limited sample size for the position as a pass catcher is one of the main reasons why he was available on day three, but the upside is certainly there.
What should be expected by Seahawks fans with Barner is a player that needs time to develop but will be a capable blocker immediately. He will see most of his action in short-yardage and goal line situations and can be an impactful receiver in the red zone when given the opportunity. Don’t expect much out of him right away, but in 2-3 years, Barner could easily be a major contributor for the Seahawks.
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SEATTLE – Seattle is at a breaking point as fearless street racers continue to scoff at the law.
City Attorney Ann Davison is determined to change that by proposing hefty fines and making video, including social media posts, admissible as evidence.
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“We need to have our laws matter,” Davison said. “With our understaffing with Seattle Police, we need to be smart in how we address this.”
Seattle Police Department street takeover dashcam video
On June 22 and 23, 2024, Seattle Police officers responded to street takeover events in the city.
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On Tuesday morning, Davison and leaders with the Seattle Police Department presented their proposal to members of the City Council Public Safety Commission.
Seattle Police report that social media posts often inspire swarms of people to attend these dangerous events. What begins as death-defying donuts often escalates into deadly consequences: gunfire, hit-and-runs and even homicides.
One example of that blatant disregard is Miles Hudson, the man-behind-the-wheel of the infamous “Belltown Hellcat.” Despite a slew of criminal charges, thousands of dollars in fines and constant demands to stop, Hudson continues to post videos of him speeding and revving his souped up car on his Instagram.
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Belltown Hellcat exploits WA’s new street racing law
Despite facing two reckless driving charges and over $80,000 in fines, “Belltown Hellcat” driver Miles Hudson is still on the streets and posting new content in his 2023 Dodge Charger.
“I saw how people were laughing at officers because it felt like they couldn’t do anything,” remarked Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth. “I’m assuming people come to Seattle to do it because we don’t have particular laws that prevent this from happening.”
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Davison suggests imposing a $500 fine for cars caught spinning out. She also argues that video evidence, including dash or body camera footage and social media content, should be used to prosecute offenders.
During the discussion, Councilmember Rob Saka expressed strong support for following the city of Kent’s lead in criminalizing spectators too. Saka promised to reach out to Kent mayor Dana Ralph to learn more.
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