The Seattle Seahawks have floored the gas on stacking the deck this season as the defending Super Bowl champions after pulling off a marquee trade for six-time All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson from the Indianapolis Colts, and as a result, the move may give Grey Zabel a lane to succeed at a new position on the team’s offensive line.
The Seahawks now have the flexibility to move Zabel over to the right side of the offensive line as a result of bringing in Nelson, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Tuesday, where he played at North Dakota State prior to entering the league, giving the team a chance to greatly improve its interior protection.
Zabel’s experience on the right side of the offensive line makes the potential switch a practical option. He
played at right guard as a freshman at NDSU and started 17 games at right tackle from 2022-23. His familiarity with right-side responsibilities figure to help him adjust to a role change, in the event that the team makes the decision to switch his position, which will allow Seattle to pair his athleticism with Nelson’s strength and experience.
Nelson provides the team with a powerful veteran presence, while Zabel’s versatility may allow Seattle to build a more balanced offensive front. Zabel has played all 442 snaps this season at left guard and has allowed a sack, a hit and 13 pressures on the year so far. The pairing offers to strengthen the Seahawks’ pass protection and running game, and solve the issues that they currently have at the right guard slot with Anthony Bradford having been on the hot seat dating back to last season.
Bradford’s struggles over the past two years have created uncertainty on the team’s offensive line. Moving Zabel to the position may offer Seattle a more effective alternative, particularly with Nelson anchoring the opposite side. A stronger interior may help the Seahawks regain consistency, rejuvenate their season and position themselves for another Super Bowl run in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Seahawks Wire: Seahawks’ young OG may find success switching to new position
