Klint Kubiak, the new offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks may be young (37), but he’s bringing in some gray hairs with the hopes of improving the blocking in front of quarterback Geno Smith and running back Kenneth Walker III.
Veteran offensive line coach John Benton (age 61) followed Kubiak from New Orleans, the Seahawks confirmed Tuesday. The Seahawks are reportedly importing another veteran coach from the Big Easy. Rick Dennison (66) , a senior assistant last season, was granted permission by New Orleans to speak to the Seahawks about a similar role.
The Seahawks have yet to confirm an interview.
Should Seattle land Dennison, that would be two coaches with extensive offensive line coaching backgrounds who have nearly as much combined coaching experience (68 years) as the head coach Mike Macdonald (37) and Kubiak (37) have been alive (74 years).
“If our identity is going to be a running football team, it starts with coach Benton and his approach,” Kubiak said on Tuesday. “Just really impressed with his ability as a teacher, number one. He’s an excellent teacher. The way he runs the room, holds his guys accountable. I’ve just seen the way he leads men and his schemes are excellent.
Benton has coached offensive lines for 19 seasons, including a 2017-2020 stint with the San Francisco 49ers before leaving for a promotion to offensive running game coordinator with the Jets.
Dennison has also spent much of his career as an offensive line coach. The message from Macdonald and Kubiak seems clear: The Seahawks intend to improve upon the 2024 season, which saw them finish 28th of 32 NFL teams in rushing yards per game.
Though questions remain about Smith’s contract — in particular a $44.5 million cap hit — Macdonald and Kubiak have made it pretty clear that Smith will be back for 2025. The next step is surrounding him with improved offensive line play and a strong running game.
“I feel like that’s important because if you drop back 50 times in the game, it’s tough,” Kubiak said of improving the running game. “You have got to be a balanced team. I think balance is important and sometimes you’ve got to drop back 50 times to win the game and sometimes you’ve got to run it 50 times. But when it all comes through, we want to be balanced, and we want to be able to win multiple ways.”
It remains to be seen how much weight Kubiak, Benton and Dennison will carry when it comes to putting together the 2025 line. Kubiak mentioned left tackle Charles Cross when talking about standout players on offensive, but stopped short of committing to any other player, or method of putting together a starting unit. Right tackle Abraham Lucas, guard Sataoa Lamea and center Olu Oluwatimi are under contract for next season, as is, among others, 2024 third-round draft pick Christian Haynes.
“We’re getting a feel for the guys that we have, and we’re getting a feel for their strengths and weaknesses,” Kubiak said. “We’re looking at free agents, we’re looking at college players, and that’s what the offseason is all about.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider has drafted only one Pro Bowl offensive lineman since being hired prior to the 2010 draft. And that lineman, Russell Okung, was Schneider’s very first draft pick in the 2010 draft. Though the Seahawks have spent as much draft capital on the line as any team, they have struggled to find a consistent group since back-to-back Super Bowl appearances in 2013-14.
It seems an investment has been made to coach them. The next step for Schneider, his scouts and new offensive coaches, is to find them.
This story originally appeared in seattlesportsnow.com, of which Aaron Coe is a co-founder. Follow Coe on X: @Coe_Aaron
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