Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald made it clear that Josh Jones is not being handed the team’s swing tackle job.
After the Seahawks signed veteran offensive tackle Bobby Hart before mandatory minicamp, Macdonald was asked about Jones’ absence from practice and whether it was related to previous injuries. His answer was direct.
“He’s just not ready to practice yet,” Macdonald told reporters. “So he needs to become ready to practice. That’s on — that’s his responsibility.”
That came moments after Macdonald connected Hart’s arrival to Seattle’s tackle depth. The Seahawks coach said Hart is “a good tackle,” added that Seattle needs “a third tackle,” and said Jones “needs to practice to compete with Bobby.”
For a June minicamp answer, that is about as pointed as it gets.
Bobby Hart Gives Seahawks a Practicing Veteran at Tackle
The Seahawks announced Hart’s signing on June 8, adding an experienced offensive tackle who has appeared in 108 NFL games with 75 starts. Hart spent the 2025 season with the Los Angeles Chargers, appearing in 10 games with eight starts, according to the team’s announcement. Seattle waived rookie wide receiver Levi Wentz in the corresponding roster move.
At first glance, the move looked like a straightforward depth addition before camp. Macdonald’s comments gave it sharper meaning.
Seattle does not appear to be treating Hart as just another camp body. Macdonald specifically framed the situation as a competition for the third tackle role, and for now, Hart has the simplest advantage available in June: he is on the field.
“Right now, Bobby’s practicing,” Macdonald said.
That matters because backup tackle is not a throwaway job for the Seahawks. Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas are expected to be the starting tackles, but Seattle’s offense needs a dependable third option who can step in without forcing major changes to the protection plan.
Jones has the profile to fill that role. But Macdonald’s message was clear: availability comes first.
Josh Jones’ Absence Turns Into a Training Camp Story
Jones’ value to Seattle is not theoretical. He has been used as a versatile offensive line depth piece.
That is exactly why this minicamp development matters. The Seahawks are not simply trying to identify their 53rd man. They are sorting out the player who would likely be one snap away from protecting Sam Darnold if Cross or Lucas misses time.
The timing also gives the story some edge. Mandatory minicamp is not training camp, and teams are careful with veterans in June. But Macdonald did not describe Jones as being held out as part of a simple management plan. He said Jones was “not ready to practice yet,” then put the responsibility on Jones to get there.
That does not mean Jones is in danger of losing a roster spot before camp begins. It does mean the Seahawks have made the competition more real by adding Hart, and Macdonald does not sound interested in waiting forever.
Hart’s experience makes him a credible competitor. He started all 16 games for the Cincinnati Bengals in both 2018 and 2019, and he returned to a starting role last season with the Chargers.
That gives Seattle a veteran option who has handled regular-season NFL snaps at tackle. It also gives the Seahawks leverage if Jones’ absence continues into training camp.
Seahawks’ Offensive Line Depth Is Already Under the Microscope
The broader question is not whether Hart is suddenly a favorite for a major role. It is whether Jones can get back on the field quickly enough to make this a real competition.
Macdonald’s answer suggests the Seahawks are treating the third tackle job as an earned role, not a default assignment.
That is consistent with how Seattle is approaching the rest of minicamp. Macdonald described the team as being in an installation phase offensively, with Brian Schottenheimer bringing ideas to what the coach called “this year’s version of last year’s offense.”
For offensive linemen, that makes practice time even more important. The Seahawks are not only evaluating bodies. They are installing protections, techniques and communication rules that will shape the offense before training camp.
Jones cannot compete in that environment if he is not practicing. Hart can.
That is why Macdonald’s comment landed with more force than a normal June availability update. The Seahawks signed Hart to stabilize tackle depth, but the coach made clear that Jones still has a path to the job. He just has to get back on the field to take it.
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