The Seattle Seahawks should now have a clear answer as to the best RG option

Seattle understandably chose to be patient and give the two young guards a chance to develop, and in the grand scheme of things, that decision could pay off as the organization waits to see who ultimately takes over the starting job. For now, this appears to be the approach the franchise will stick with in the short term.

But based on statistics and, well, most importantly, enough footage to have a decent sample size for evaluation, a strong argument can be made that the answer to this question already existed before Macdonald, line coach Scott Huff and the rest of the team Seahawks lies personnel.

Heading into Monday’s crucial prime-time clash in the Motor City, Haynes had played just 16 offensive snaps in Seattle’s first three games, with Bradford starting and seeing the most playing time. In his second season out of LSU, the former fourth-round pick shined at times, particularly in the run blocking department, where he helped Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet surpass 90 rushing yards each in Week 1 and Week 3.

According to Pro Football Focus, Bradford also allowed just two pressures in the first two games, indicating he had taken a significant step forward in protecting Geno Smith after struggling badly in that department as a rookie.

However, Macdonald was clearly unhappy with Bradford’s play in the 24-3 win over Miami, where he committed two penalties and allowed two sacks, and made it clear that Seattle needed to provide more opportunities for Haynes, who wasn’t included in the lineup at all in that one Competition. In fact, that’s exactly what happened Monday night when the team subbed him in for five offensive series and 36 snaps, a career-best.

Comparing their respective performances, Bradford and Haynes performed well in pass defense, each allowing one pressure on Geno Smith and no sacks. But if you look closely at the All-22 film from Monday’s loss, it’s the rookie who makes the biggest statement, regularly acing stunts and blitzes with ease. Surprisingly, he was also superior to his counterpart in the run blocking department, as Bradford often charged at defenders and was unable to lean on the blocks, causing him to fall to his knees at the end of several plays.

Showing a penchant for finishing his blocks with confidence, Haynes prepared two pancakes against the Lions, one in pass protection and one in run blocking. Aside from driving star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson into the turf during a first-half scoring drive, he also worked on a combo block to complete Walker’s 21-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter with a defensive -Assist the tackle and help create the cutback lane necessary to make the run to the right sideline and race past the pursuing defenders to the end zone.

Had DK Metcalf failed to nullify a first down run by Zach Charbonnet midway through the fourth quarter, Haynes would have had a third pancake on the stat sheet when he tackled defensive tackle Alim McNeal to the ground.

With the two players most likely to be in a 50/50 time-sharing ratio heading into the first month of the season, the stats coupled with film observations don’t lie. When Haynes entered the lineup, they were significantly better on offense Monday, in large part due to his presence under center.

Seattle played seven possessions against Detroit and scored two touchdowns with Bradford playing at right guard between center Connor Williams and right tackle Stone Forsythe, averaging two points per drive and nearly 6.3 yards per play. Those numbers are respectable, but when Haynes came off the bench for four possessions, the Seahawks scored the same number of points on nearly 20 fewer plays, or 3.5 points per drive and nearly seven yards per play.

When you look at the details, the Seahawks were far more explosive with the football with Haynes in the lineup. On his four possessions in the game, Walker ran four times for 49 yards, averaging 12.3 yards per carry, with two runs for 20 yards and two touchdowns. By comparison, Bradford carried the ball eight times for 31 yards on seven possessions, averaging just 3.8 yards per carry with a one-yard touchdown in the first half.

After Thursday’s practice a few days earlier, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb cited fundamentals and depth as the main reasons Bradford remained in the lineup over Haynes. Those comments were consistent with observations from training camp practices, particularly regarding hand placement and usage, an issue that Haynes’ previous coaches at UConn highlighted as an area for improvement coming out of the draft.

However, watching Monday’s game, Haynes appeared to be the one who had superior technique and penetration on the ball, harassing opponents at the point of attack and relishing the chance to finish blocks with authority. Grubb’s public comments ring a bell that the Seahawks should finally give him the opportunity to wrest the starting job away from Bradford, who has been on a leash thus far with penalty issues and inconsistent play in all areas.

As a rookie, growing pains will continue to be part of the equation, and Seattle needs to be prepared for the bumps along the way. But with Macdonald and co aiming for a conclusion to the right-back competition and play between the lines being paramount in decision-making, Haynes must be the right move to see what he can do after facing that shot against one solid player defense deserves prime time.