Tag: seahawks offensive coordinator

OL guru believes former Seahawks OC Ryan Grubb mishandled Christian Haynes

OL guru believes former Seahawks OC Ryan Grubb mishandled Christian Haynes

The Seattle Seahawks drafted guard Christian Haynes with a third-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. General manager John Schneider knew he needed reinforcements to upgrade the interior of his offensive line. Despite that, Haynes had a disappointing impact as a rookie.

Veteran Laken Tomlinson was signed in free agency to play left guard. Haynes found himself in a competition with sophomore blocker Anthony Bradford at right guard. Bradford ultimately won the job, but played poorly enough for Haynes to receive the occasional opportunity.

Then-offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb never fully committed to Haynes, however. Tomlinson and Bradford played extremely poorly at guard. Seattle’s lackluster offensive line ended up being their Achilles heel throughout the season. Grubb has since been fired and replaced by head coach Mike Macdonald with Klint Kubiak.

The Athletic’s Michael Shawn-Dugar recently spoke with acclaimed offensive line guru Michael-Shawn Dugar for a fantastic piece about Seattle’s offensive line. Thorn offered his thoughts on Haynes’ rookie season. Interestingly enough, he feels Grubb mishandled Haynes’ play time.

“I saw him get walked back a couple times from bull rushes, but not anything out of the ordinary from anybody else — on that line especially, but just across the league,” Thorn told Dugar. “A rookie coming in where he was drafted, I thought there were some positives, too. It was a lot more even with some promise as opposed to, ‘We whiffed, and he shouldn’t have gotten drafted.’ I didn’t see that.”

The Seahawks are entering the offseason with a desperate need to upgrade the offensive line. In-house solutions would be helpful. Haynes should receive a fresh opportunity under Kubiak.

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Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak will be compared to Grant Udinski

Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak will be compared to Grant Udinski

The Seattle Seahawks held a fairly thorough process when going through the motions of hiring a new offensive coordinator. Eventually, Mike Macdonald settled on Klint Kubiak. Kubiak was always considered a front-runner. One of those other front-runners got another job on Wednesday, when the Jacksonville Jaguars named Grant Udinski their new OC.

Both Kubiak and Udinski received two interviews apiece for the Seahawks’ opening. Kubiak, the first known candidate to emerge, was always considered the favorite. Others who received consideration included former Chicago Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown, who has since joined Mike Vrabel’s staff with the New England Patriots, who also recently plucked an assistant from Seattle’s 2024 staff.

Udinski received more league-wide interest than Kubiak did. He was a candidate for multiple openings. Seattle and Kubiak always seemed like a likely pairing, though the Cleveland Browns did show a little interest before they hired Tommy Rees.

Macdonald’s decision to hire Kubiak will be compared to Jacksonville’s one to appoint Udinski. It’s worth noting direct comparisons may be difficult though. Kubiak will call plays in Seattle. Udinski probably won’t do that for the Jaguars, who hired an offensive-minded head coach and play caller in Liam Coen.

Macdonald has to nail this OC decision after whiffing on Ryan Grubb. How Jacksonville’s offense performs next year will offer a hint whether choosing Kubiak over Udinski was the correct decision or not.

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Breaking down one of Klint Kubiak’s offensive concepts

Breaking down one of Klint Kubiak’s offensive concepts

New Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is busy installing his offense this season. Kubiak has already made notable changes to Mike Macdonald’s coaching staff, hiring Andrew Janocko at quarterbacks coach, and John Benton to coach the offensive line. Seattle’s offense will look drastically different in 2025 after moving on from previous OC Ryan Grubb, who recently joined Alabama.

Kubiak was the offensive play-caller for the New Orleans Saints last season. His unit dealt with various injuries, including serious ones to quarterback Derek Carr, and No. 1 wide receiver Chris Olave. Kubiak’s offense finished 25th in scoring (19.9/game), 23rd in passing (205.2), and 14th in rushing (114.9). Improving Seattle’s 28th-ranked run game will be a point of emphasis this offseason.

One of Kubiak’s best offensive concepts throughout 2024 was the Yankee Concept. A staple play broken down by Alexander Castro, Kubiak strategically places two tight ends on the EDGE. Checkdown routes are present for the running back and TE. Carr then rips this throw to Rashid Shaheed for a sizable gain.

Geno Smith possesses the arm strength required to complete explosive passing plays via this concept. It’s one example of the changes Kubiak will be making to Seattle’s offensive playbook. Expect the Yankee Concept to be featured throughout 2025.
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Latest staff moves indicate Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald is empowering Klint Kubiak

Latest staff moves indicate Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald is empowering Klint Kubiak

The Seattle Seahawks made sizable changes to their offensive coaching staff on Monday. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak appears to be at the forefront of those decisions. Andrew Janocko was officially named quarterbacks coach, and John Benton was named offensive line coach. Frisman Jackson was retained as wide receivers coach.

Both Janocko and Benton worked alongside Kubiak with the New Orleans Saints last season. Janocko replaces Charles London, who was a good quality quarterbacks coach. Benton replaces Scott Huff, which makes more sense because he was a Ryan Grubb hire. Either way, head coach Mike Macdonald is allowing Kubiak to make these decisions.

It’s a fair way for Macdonald to conduct business. He’s a defensive-minded head coach who decided to replace his first offensive coordinator after one season. It’s imperative that the Kubiak appointment goes smoother than Grubb’s tenure. Providing Kubiak with the resources and freedom required to hire an offensive coaching staff he’s comfortable with is crucial to success.

For now, Kubiak has added two coaches he’s extremely comfortable and familiar with in Janocko and Benton. Macdonald is allowing him to install his offense around a quality group of skill players, ranging from an above-average quarterback in Geno Smith, to high-level weapons like DK Metcalf, Kenneth Walker III, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. It’s on Kubiak to maximize his opportunity. Macdonald is counting on it.

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Seahawks receiver permission to speak with Saints QB coach

Seahawks receiver permission to speak with Saints QB coach

The Seattle Seahawks recently appointed Klint Kubiak as their new offensive coordinator. Kubiak served in that role with the New Orleans Saints last season. It appears head coach Mike Macdonald is granting him autonomy to fill out some of his coaching staff.

The Seahawks requested permission to interview current Saints quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko. The Saints have granted that permission, according to ESPN Saints reporter Katherine Terrell.

Indications are that Janocko would be making a lateral move to become the Seahawks’ quarterbacks coach. Though he remains under contract in New Orleans, the Saints are allowing position coaches to interview for lateral gigs elsewhere because they’ve yet to hire a new head coach. There’s a decent chance Janocko would be released from his contract when a coach is appointed in NOLA.

The Seahawks’ current QB coach is Charles London. This would indicate Macdonald may be willing to sever ties. It’s worth noting London possesses close ties to Mike Vrabel, who recently became the head coach of the New England Patriots. Perhaps Vrabel is interested in bringing him to Foxborough.

Kubiak and Janocko have an incredibly familiar relationship. Outside of obviously serving on the 2024 Saints staff together, they previously spent three shared campaigns (2019-21) with the Minnesota Vikings. Kubiak is clearly interested in reuniting with Janocko for a third time.

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Seahawks facing competition for Grand Udinski from Buccaneers

Seahawks facing competition for Grand Udinski from Buccaneers

The Seattle Seahawks finally ended their search for an offensive coordinator over the weekend, appointing Klint Kubiak as the offensive play caller. Their search had taken several twists and turns. In one instance, potential candidate Hank Fraley decided to remain with the Detroit Lions alongside Dan Campbell.

Another candidate the Seahawks had strong interest in before hiring Kubiak was Minnesota Vikings offensive assistant Grant Udinski. Perhaps Mike Macdonald is no longer interested in adding Udinski to his staff after hiring Kubiak, but it’s worth noting that assumption isn’t guaranteed. Previous reports indicated the Seahawks were considering hiring pass-game and run-game coordinators. Furthermore, current passing game coordinator Karl Scott may be joining Pete Carroll’s staff with the Las Vegas Raiders, potentially creating an opening for Udinski to still join the team.

If the Seahawks are still interested in adding Udinski to their staff, they may face competition from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Their now-former offensive coordinator Liam Coen recently became the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Since then, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles has requested to speak with Udinski about his newly-minted vacancy at OC.

It appears the Seahawks flat-out chose Kubiak over Udinski. If Macdonald is still interested in adding him to his staff in a roundabout way, he’s facing new competition from the Buccaneers. The Bucs would possess the upper hand, given they could offer Udinski their offensive coordinator role.

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Why the Seahawks are interested in Grant Udinski to be OC

Why the Seahawks are interested in Grant Udinski to be OC

The Seattle Seahawks are now several weeks into the search for their next offensive coordinator. Head coach Mike Macdonald has identified three finalists, a list consisting of Minnesota Vikings assistant Grant Udinski, former Chicago Bears interim coach Thomas Brown, and Detroit Lions assistant Hank Fraley. Other rumors have the Seahawks potentially naming two coordinators who would focus on different areas of the offense.

The most surprising candidate on the list is arguably Udinski. A 29-year-old former college tight end, Udinski is an out-of-left-field candidate who makes sense. His work alongside offensive genius Kevin O’Connell and Sam Darnold this season has seen him rise up the ranks.

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer recently released a column on the coaching carousel. Breer offered some terrific insight into Udinski. It’s no wonder the Seahawks possess interest in the potential coaching prophet.

“I’ve done some digging on Udinski over the past few days, and he’s a really interesting guy to look at,” Breer wrote. “He’s been in an intense football environment with Kevin O’Connell, Wes Phillips and Josh McCown on the offensive side of that staff, and has proven a quick study in just about every way. Since O’Connell poached him from Matt Rhule’s staff in 2022 (on the advice of Minnesota assistant Brian Angelichio), he’s risen from assistant to the head coach/special projects to assistant QBs coach to assistant offensive coordinator.

Breer brings up outstanding points about Udinski’s environment and elevation up the ranks. Wes Phillips and Josh McCown are two additional offensive minds Udinski has learned under. McCown has routinely gotten head coaching/OC interest around the league.

“He kept getting title changes, and raises, to keep him from leaving, and that’s because he’s really become O’Connell’s right-hand man,” Breer continued. “He’s got, by all accounts, an incredible mind for the game, and a bright, bright future as a play-caller and, maybe eventually, as a head coach.”

Breer also has questions about Udinski’s readiness to be an OC and lead Seattle’s offensive staff.

“But it’s fair to have questions about how fast this is all moving,” Breer added. “McVay had six years coaching—five in the NFL—before he became a coordinator, and he waited another year after that before becoming a play-caller. Udinski just finished his sixth-year coaching, and fifth in the NFL, so becoming a play-calling offensive coordinator would put him on a McVay-Shanahan track.”

The Seahawks have to assess all of the pros and cons before making a decision at offensive coordinator.

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Former Seahawks TE Luke Willson endorses OC candidate

Former Seahawks TE Luke Willson endorses OC candidate

The Seattle Seahawks continue to go through the process of appointing a new offensive coordinator. To date, three finalists have been identified, all of which interviewed virtually to start, before receiving in-person second interviews. One of those candidates is Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley.

Former Seahawks tight end Luke Willson has remained a fan of his previous franchise. Willson endured three separate stints with the Seahawks (2013-17, 2019-20, 2020), making him qualified to speak on Mike Macdonald’s search for his next offensive play caller. It turns out the LaSalle, Ontario, Canada native has thoughts.

Willson is publicly endorsing Fraley for the job via social media. It’s worth noting Willson spent a portion of the 2018 campaign with the Lions. Fraley was hired by Detroit that same offseason as the team’s assistant offensive line coach.

Willson often played as an in-line blocking tight end. That made him an extension of the offensive line, likely meaning he spent a considerable amount of time being coached by Fraley in Detroit. Fraley would spend two campaigns (2018-19) as the assistant offensive line coach before Dan Campbell elevated him to O-line coach in 2020, the post he currently holds while capturing the Seahawks’ interest.

The Seahawks are still sorting through their offensive coordinator options. One recent rumor has the team considering Fraley as the run-game coordinator with Scott Turner as the passing-down coordinator. Either way, Willson is rooting for Fraley to land in Seattle.

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Recapping Seahawks’ alleged 3 finalists for OC

Recapping Seahawks’ alleged 3 finalists for OC

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald is deep into his search for his next offensive coordinator after relieving first-year play caller Ryan Grubb of his duties mere hours after the 2024 season concluded. To date, Macdonald has identified five external candidates to oversee the offense next season. Three of them have received second, in-person interviews after initially interviewing virtually.

Though more twists and turns may arrive before a hire is announced, these are the three alleged finalists.

Klint Kubiak

New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak was the first candidate to receive a second interview. Kubiak is allowed to interview with the Seahawks despite being under contract in New Orleans because the Saints are currently appointing a new head coach. He’s been a popular candidate. He was considered for the Cleveland Browns’ job before they promoted from within. He’s also being linked to the New York Jets’ OC job should his former coaching mate Aaron Glenn land in East Rutherford.

Grant Udinski

Minnesota Vikings assistant offensive coordinator and assistant quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski has also advanced to the second stage, having met with Macdonald in-person about the job. Udinski hails from an extended branch of the ever-popular Sean McVay coaching tree, having learned under Kevin O’Connell in Minnesota. Everyone wants a piece of the O’Connell/Vikings offense after it made Sam Darnold look like a legitimate franchise quarterback this season.

Hank Fraley

Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley was the first-known candidate for the job, and the final of the reported three to receive a second interview. The Lions’ coaching staff is being gutted, with previous OC Ben Johnson being named the head coach of the Chicago Bears. That could free up Fraley for an in-house promotion, but other members of Dan Campbell’s staff are also expected to depart. Johnson’s appointment in The Windy City could make him a person of interest for a promotion there as well.

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Would Klint Kubiak improve Seahawks’ run game?

Would Klint Kubiak improve Seahawks’ run game?

Updates regarding the Seattle Seahawks’ search for their next offensive coordinator have arrived in quick succession in recent days. First, it was news that New Orleans Saints OC Klint Kubiak was receiving a second interview for the job. So is Minnesota Vikings assistant Grant Udinski, we’ve since learned. And former Tampa Bay Buccaneers OC Byron Leftwich is a surprise candidate, too.

Even with all of these developments, Kubiak should probably be considered the favorite. He’s far more experienced than Udinski (the other-known two-interview candidate). Operating under that impression, it’s important to evaluate whether or not Kubiak would improve Seattle’s run game, a core focus of Macdonald’s search for his next offensive play caller.

Seattle’s rushing attack finished 28th in yards per game (95.7) and total yards (1,627). They were among just five struggling offenses that failed to average 100-plus rushing yards per contest. It’s a big reason why Ryan Grubb was fired.

It’s interesting to compare how Kubiak’s Saints fared on the ground, since he was the offensive play-caller for a defensive-minded head coach. Despite personnel difficulties, the Saints averaged a 14th-best 114.9 ground yards per outing. That’s significantly better than Seattle’s 2024 output, and it becomes more impressive when you consider the adversity faced by Kubiak.

Starting quarterback Derek Carr dealt with recurring injuries, playing just 55% of New Orleans’ total offensive snaps. Top receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed both suffered season-ending injuries, making the offense one dimensional. Kubiak also faced coaching challenges, as the Saints fired head coach Dennis Allen midway through the season, appointing special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi as interim leader.

The Saints did have some continuity across their offensive line. Starting tackles Trevor Penning and Taliese Fuaga played nearly every snap, and Cesar Ruiz was largely available, too, playing 75% of the offense’s total snaps. Starting running back Alvin Kamara missed the final three games of the season, however, so there were additional personnel challenges present.

Despite the uneven work environment and significant injuries on a bad 5-12 team, Kubiak’s Saints ran the football with more effectiveness than Seattle did. That should appeal to Macdonald and GM John Schneider, who are searching for answers to their run-game woes. Kubiak likely presented those answers throughout his second interview in Seattle.

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