The Seattle Seahawks got through one game without Anthony Bradford. They now know they will have to do it for several more.
Seattle placed its starting right guard on injured reserve Wednesday, Sept. 23, as part of a series of roster moves four days before the Seahawks visit the Washington Commanders. Bradford had already missed Seattle’s 31-7 win over the Arizona Cardinals with knee and hip injuries. The IR move guarantees his absence will extend well beyond Week 3.
Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald addressed the injury during his press conference on Wednesday, noting the injury will not knock Bradford out for the season.
“Unfortunate with AB,” Macdonald said. “I think it’s another example of a guy unfortunately is going to be available. I think he’ll be on a full recovery and come back as the best version of himself.
Under NFL injured-reserve rules, Bradford must miss at least four games before he can return to the active roster. That means Seattle will be without him against Washington, the Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos at minimum.
For an offensive line built around continuity, that is the real blow.
Anthony Bradford Injury Breaks Up Seahawks’ Starting Offensive Line
Bradford started Seattle’s opener against the New England Patriots before the knee and hip injuries kept him out in Arizona. The Seahawks initially listed him as questionable, then downgraded him to out the day before the Cardinals game.
Wednesday’s transaction eliminated any short-term uncertainty.
Bradford had become one of Seattle’s most durable offensive linemen. He started all 17 regular-season games in 2025 and all three playoff games during the Seahawks’ Super Bowl run. Seattle credited that group with allowing only 27 sacks, tied for fifth fewest in the NFL.
That durability was a major part of Seattle’s offseason optimism. Charles Cross, Grey Zabel, Bradford and Abraham Lucas started every game together last season, including the playoffs. Center Jalen Sundell was the only member of the preferred five who missed starts.
Two games into 2026, the same five will not be staying together.
Christian Haynes, Beau Stephens Take Over at Right Guard
Christian Haynes made his first NFL start in Bradford’s place against Arizona, but Seattle did not leave him on the field for every offensive snap.
Haynes played 43 snaps while rookie Beau Stephens played 27, according to the Seahawks. Coach Mike Macdonald said afterward that he wanted to get Stephens some “well-earned” playing time.
That rotation now matters for more than one Sunday.
Haynes, a 2024 third-round pick, has spent most of his first two NFL seasons as a reserve. Stephens arrived in April as a fifth-round pick out of Iowa after Seattle traded up to select him. The two now have at least a month to establish whether one deserves the full-time job or whether Seattle prefers to keep rotating them.
The timing is not ideal. Seattle travels to Washington in Week 3, then faces the Chargers and NFC West rival San Francisco before a short-week Thursday road game in Denver.
Seahawks News: Sam Darnold and Jadarian Price to Practice
In other tidbits from Macdonald’s press conference, he noted that Seahawks star quarterback Sam Darnold would practice on Wednesday. He’ll be joined by Jadarian Price.
Both had been injured going into the practice week.
“He’ll practice today,” Macdonald said of Darnold. “He’s not going to take every rep, but we’ll ramp it up as the week goes. I’d say, we’ll make a decision at some point before Friday. Before it’s over. I don’t think we’d go into the weekend not knowing if he’s going to play. It’s on a good track right now, assuming today goes well.”
Macdonald was shorter on Price’s injury update, just noting that he was practicing. Ultimately, the Seahawks will see how both look in practice before determining their playing status for Week 3 against the Washington Commanders.
Seahawks Announce Bad Injury News to Key Starter Before Commanders Game