The Seattle Seahawks will line up their full starting offensive line on Sunday night against the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs, only the second time that has happened this season, after head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed after Friday’s practice that right guard Anthony Bradford is back from injured reserve.
For a 3-3 team that has lost two straight, Macdonald framed it as the most useful change of the week. “It’s nice to get the starting five back together,” he said. Running back Zach Charbonnet, however, will not make his season debut yet, even though he practiced fully all week.
Mike Macdonald Press Conference – October 23, 2026 https://t.co/z9bc5ALrft
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 23, 2026
Bradford’s return and what it changes
Bradford played in the opener, missed the next game and then went on injured reserve with knee and hip problems. Seattle activated him this week. Macdonald said the guard used the time away to come back better than he was before he got hurt, and described him as a physical presence in both the run game and pass protection. Bradford said he welcomed the decision because it let him get his whole body right rather than playing through something all year.
Christian Haynes and Beau Stephens covered at guard while Bradford was out, and Macdonald credited both. The timing matters. In last week’s 17-14 overtime loss at Denver, Seattle outgained the Broncos 353 yards to 168 and ran 82 plays to 57, but it gave up five sacks, ran for 4.3 yards a carry and converted only 7 of 17 third downs. A settled line is the obvious place to start against a Kansas City defense that has allowed 83 points in five games.
Why Charbonnet waits
Charbonnet, who tore his ACL in last season’s playoffs, was activated from the physically unable to perform list on Thursday and practiced fully, but the club ruled him out on Friday. Macdonald insisted the decision was not about a setback. “No setback,” he said, adding that the recovery is going as well as Seattle could have hoped. The Seahawks are choosing to give him another week of work rather than rush him into a prime-time game.
On defense, linebacker Drake Thomas (ankle) misses a second straight game and Chazz Surratt (calf) is also out. Tyrice Knight, who made seven tackles at Denver, is expected to start again in Thomas’ place. Safety Nick Emmanwori and edge rushers Uchenna Nwosu and DeMarcus Lawrence are questionable after being limited on Friday.
The Chiefs test
Kansas City arrives 5-0 with a plus-57 point differential, second only to San Francisco’s, and with a familiar face in its backfield: Kenneth Walker III, who left Seattle for the Chiefs. The defending champion Seahawks are plus-26 for the season despite their .500 record because all three of their losses were one-score games: 33-31 at Washington, 32-29 to San Francisco and the overtime defeat in Denver.
What comes next
The Seahawks host the Chiefs at Lumen Field on Sunday, October 25, at 8:20 p.m. EDT (Game Center). Seattle then stays home to face the Chicago Bears on Monday, November 2, at 8:15 p.m. EST, while Kansas City travels to Denver.
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