Seahawks-Titans practice: Biggest, best day yet for rookie Christian Haynes; deep shots

The biggest — and best — day yet for Christian Haynes. And the latest change for the key to this Seahawks’ season.

Their iffy offensive line.

Haynes, the rookie third-round draft choice from Connecticut, took the lead Thursday in the competition to start at right guard. He replaced healthy Anthony Bradford for the second and final joint practice with the Tennessee Titans at the Saint Thomas Sports Park.

He excelled.

In the one-on-one pass-rush drill, the 6-foot-3, 317-pound Haynes blocked Quinton Bohanna, Tennessee’s 6-4, 360-pound defensive tackle, to the ground. Then Haynes pushed Bohanna while he was down.

As you can imagine, Bohanna didn’t like that. The fourth-year veteran got to his feet and charged at Haynes. They went nose to nose, yelling and pointing at each other.

If Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald hadn’t (allegedly, according to cornerback Devon Witherspoon) threatened that any player who fought in these practices would play the entire preseason game against the Titans here Saturday, Haynes seemed he may have been in a fight there.

In his next rep, Haynes threw down Titans defensive tackle Marlon Davidson, a fourth-year pro.

No, Haynes was not respecting his elders Thursday. He’s got a job to win on the right side of an offensive line that is still missing starting tackle Abe Lucas from offseason knee surgery.

This was the first time since the Seahawks drafted him in May that Haynes was starting on the offensive line without it being because of a veteran’s day off. He’d been a left guard for two days among the first 14 practices of training camp, because 32-year-old starter Laken Tomlinson was getting a day off each time.

“Like I always said, from the beginning, it’s a competition,” Macdonald said. “I wanted to see what Christian could do with the ones.”

Bradford was the second-team right guard Thursday.

No fighting

Two joint practices. A lot of trash talk, particularly by Witherspoon. Yet no fights.

That may have been the most surprising thing about the Seahawks’ work here this week.

The effervescent Witherspoon seemed to speak a team secret when he told of Macdonald’s threat against fighting.

The coach playfully disputed Witherspoon’s recounting of what the coach had told his players before these joint practices began.

“I don’t know where he got that from,” Macdonald said, twice, the second time with a mischievous smile.

“How we handled it, I’ll keep that in house. But the guys realize, just like we said yesterday, we’re going to be evaluated on what shows up on tape and if we’re getting into fights and we’re not keeping our composure that’s not the best for us or the team.

“God forbid somebody got hurt during that time, which is just totally unnecessary. Things you want to avoid, and the guys did a great job. Again, two days practicing against the same team things get a little heated. Going against the same guys. You watch the tape from the day before. People are getting charged up, but it’s good.

“The guys did a great job of keeping their composure and we got a lot of good work in today.”

DK Metcalf, flying by

The first play of 11-on-11 scrimmaging Thursday was another example of how new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb opened the playbook more in these joint practices and pushed the ball farther down the field than he did in the opening game of the preseason last weekend at the Los Angeles Chargers.

Grubb sent DK Metcalf zooming down the left sideline. He blew past Titans cornerback Jarvis Brownlee, who just stood there. Metcalf was 20 yards in the clear when he caught Geno Smith’s 50-yard pass for an easy touchdown.

Following an off-tackle run by Kenneth Walker, Grubb sent Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a seam route down the right middle of Tennessee’s defense. He was open but Smith overthrew him.

The NFL’s leader in completion percentage for Seattle in 2022 at 69.8%, Smith was uncharacteristically off target overthrowing Metcalf, Smith-Njigba and Jake Bobo in the two joint practices. And Grubb kept calling the deep pass plays.

“I think on both sides of the ball, there’s a lot of scheming,” said Macdonald, the defensive play caller. “How good are the details, can we really nail them down and be sharp, and also be able to play the way that we want to play is what we’re chasing right now.

“I was with defense again all today, so I can’t wait to watch offense and see where we improve.”

Extra points

*Smith-Njigba made a brilliant, savvy play for a touchdown pass from Smith in a one-on-one coverage drill. He lulled Titans cornerback Tay Gowan into a trot on a go route down the right sideline. He acted like the ball wasn’t arriving. Then with late hands just before the ball arrived, Smith-Njigba reached up and caught the pass over Gowan, who had his back to the quarterback. A savvy technique for the second-year wide receiver.

*Another strong day for top rookie draft choice Byron Murphy in one-on-one pass rushing. He rammed into Tennessee’s Andrew Rupcich and knocked the guard back 3 yards. Then the first defensive player chosen in this year’s draft at 16th overall sped past Titans starting center Lloyd Cushenberry unimpeded to the quarterback.

*The injured Seahawks who did not practice: Wide receiver Tyler Lockett, defensive end Dre’Mont Jones, tight end Noah Fant, running back Zach Charbonnet, defensive lineman Mike Morris, inside linebacker Jerome Baker, linebacker Jon Rhattigan and wide receiver Dee Eskridge.