When John Benton took over as the Seattle Seahawks' offensive line coach in 2025, he inherited a scuffling unit.
The Seahawks allowed the third-most sacks (54) in the league in 2024 and rarely ran the ball with authority. Both issues contributed to changes at offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. With Benton at the helm, the Seahawks fielded a significantly stronger offensive line in 2025 en route to the franchise's second Super Bowl title.
Last season, quarterback Sam Darnold took half as many sacks (27) as Geno Smith and Sam Howell did in 2024. Seattle's rushing attack, fueled by Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, settled into a groove down the stretch, too.
Six games into the 2026 season, though, a lot has gone wrong with Seattle's offense. The Seahawks are turning the ball over at a concerning clip, the run game has been inconsistent and Darnold has been brought down at a rate that's reminiscent of coach Mike Macdonald's first season in the Emerald City in 2024.
"I think there's a sense of urgency to get better in several areas of our football team," Macdonald said. "A lot of those are on offense, operationally, how we're protecting the quarterback, how we're running the ball."
Amid a slide in which Seattle has dropped three of four games to fall to 3-3, Darnold has been pressured more frequently than the Seahawks would prefer.
Regardless of whether Darnold or backup Drew Lock was under center, Seattle's quarterbacks have been pressured more frequently in four games than in any single game of the 2025 season, according to TruMedia.
Darnold was pressured 18 times in a game only once last year, a thrilling 38-37 overtime win against the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 18. In back-to-back weeks this season, Darnold has been pressured at least 18 times, and at higher rates than that Rams game.
During Thursday's 17-14 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos, Darnold was pressured a whopping 27 times. He was hit 17 times, too, while Broncos quarterback Bo Nix was hit on just four occasions. For the second straight week, Darnold took five sacks.
"I think I can do a better job of getting the ball out," Darnold said Thursday.
Through six games, Darnold and Lock have been sacked a combined 16 times. Miscommunication issues have also arisen along the offensive line.
On Thursday, there were a few plays where right tackle Abe Lucas and running back George Holani did not appear to be on the same page in pass protection against a ferocious Broncos front seven.
Following Seattle's 32-29 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 11, left guard Grey Zabel bluntly said Seattle's offensive line has not been good enough.
"Us as an O-line, myself in general, can play a lot better to maybe take the heat off the quarterback, to be better up front for the quarterback," Zabel said. "But, at the end of the day, I mean, just got to play better."
Zabel, a first-round pick in 2025, has taken a step back following his rookie season. His 59.4 overall Pro Football Focus grade for the 2026 season ranks 42nd among 75 qualified offensive guards, and trails the 61.1 grade he posted last season. No Seahawks offensive lineman has posted a higher overall PFF grade through six games than he did in 2025.
It's certainly no excuse, but there have been more moving parts on the offensive line than last season, when continuity was king, aside from left tackle Charles Cross missing three games late in the year with a hamstring injury.
Save this season's opener, starting right guard Anthony Bradford has missed every game because of hip and knee injuries. Third-year pro Christian Haynes and rookie Beau Stephens have been thrust into a rotation at right guard the past five weeks as a result. Bradford has a "really good chance" of returning for Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs, though, according to Macdonald.
Even if Bradford comes back against the undefeated Chiefs, Seattle's offensive line issues -- and overall offensive woes under first-year coordinator Brian Fleury -- run deeper.
"You can say it's on the offensive line, it's on our offense. It's both," Macdonald said. "It's how efficient we can run the ball. It's how efficient we can move the ball other ways. But the quarterback's getting hit way too much. Everybody sees that."
Said quarterback is also throwing too many interceptions. Darnold's seven picks entered Sunday tied with Justin Herbert and Drake Maye for the most in the league this season.
But since Seattle's second straight defeat, Macdonald has been adamant that Darnold isn't solely responsible for the team's struggles, nor is the offensive line.
In addition to Darnold's seven interceptions, the Seahawks have lost five fumbles. Seattle's 12 total turnovers are tied for third-most in the NFL. The Seahawks have yet to establish a consistent run game without Charbonnet and rookie Jadarian Price, both of whom are out with injuries and have been replaced in the interim by career backups like Emanuel Wilson, George Holani and Velus Jones Jr.
From Macdonald's perspective, the Seahawks' shortcomings are all connected. An offense heavily reliant on the NFL's leading receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, has become increasingly one-dimensional without a consistent run game. The pressure on Darnold to produce has intensified, and he's seen an uptick in interceptions.
Thursday's showing against the Broncos was but the latest example of how Seattle's challenges can snowball.
"Could the offensive line, can they, step their game up? Yes. Absolutely," Macdonald said. "But, just to put it on the offensive line, I think same thing as the takeaways with Sam: Does Sam bear responsibility for taking care of the football? Do our runners carry responsibility for taking care of the football? Absolutely."
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
