The Seattle Seahawks were practically the walking wounded for their Week 9 game against the Arizona Cardinals. Seattle was without seven starters, including quarterback Sam Darnold and the left side of their offensive line - left tackle Charles Cross and the newly acquired left guard Quenton Nelson.
Only one game after his Seattle debut, Nelson was inactive due to a minor surgical procedure to clear out cartilage in his knee. At the time, the plan was not to place Quenton Nelson on the Injured Reserve (IR) list. So far it appears the Seahawks are sticking to that plan. During his weekly radio appearance on 710 ESPN, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald left the door open for Nelson to possibly return after Seattle's Week 11 bye.
Mike Macdonald on Quenton
Nelson: “Quenton Nelson is not going on IR; he had a procedure. He COULD be back after the bye.” Macdonald was noncommittal on timeline which is no surprise. @CascadiasportsN @Seahawks @SeattleSports
— MazvitaMaraire (@MazvitaMaraire) November 9, 2026
The bye week is seemingly coming at the right time. The Seahawks have been pretty banged up, and they are already going to be without Sam Darnold once more. Seattle is in dire need of some time off to hopefully heal up before they begin their playoff push in earnest.
If there is some good news it's the fact the Seahawks' offensive line depth is solid, especially at guard. With Nelson out, the status quo prior to his acquisition has resumed. Grey Zabel is back to left guard, which is where he has spent his entire NFL career except for one game, and Anthony Bradford slides back into his starting role. Seattle rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown as a team during their 17-3 win over the Cardinals.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald gives injury update for LG Quenton Nelson
