Seattle’s offensive coordinator said the team was overall happy with Week 8 work while expecting continued improvement from its reconfigured offensive line.
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Seattle’s Week 8 matchup featured a reconfigured offensive line as the team continued to adjust after midseason changes. The moves came after left guard Quenton Nelson was acquired, while left tackle Charles Cross missed time with an ankle injury.
In Week 8, Grey Zabel slid to right guard, and Josh Jones filled in for the injured Cross. Offensive coordinator Brian Fleury said the line’s performance wasn’t perfect but reflected the challenges of new combinations.
“I wouldn’t say that it was perfect,” Fleury said. “But considering all the moving parts and the new people in new places communicating in different ways, I was overall happy with what they were able to do out there. I think that there's room for growth and I'm excited to see that growth.”
Abraham Lucas, who has played alongside four different right guards this season, said adjusting to a new teammate takes time but remains confident the group can settle in. He added that getting on the same page will come through learning each other’s play styles as practices and weeks progress.
“It's not an immediate easy flow type of thing,” Lucas said. “For Grey (Zabel) and myself, it's just going to be about learning each other's play styles as weeks and practices progress and get through. We'll get to the point where we want to be. We're both going to work hard at it and communicate with each other and understand what each other wants to do in certain situations and all of that. Grey's a really bright guy, he's really smart and he communicates really well, so we're on the right track.”
Zabel said the switch from left guard to right guard was challenging in his first game against the Chicago Bears, but he expects improvement with more reps. He described the adjustment as an opportunity to grow outside his comfort zone while acknowledging there were details to clean up.
“It was challenging but the hands, the feet, who you're playing next to, all that,” Zabel said. “It was a deal, it was a challenge; an opportunity for me to grow, get outside my comfort zone and become a better player. At the end of the day, there was a lot of stuff I need to clean up, but that's what practice is for, that's what our coaches are for, and we have some unbelievable coaches and we'll do just that.”
Zabel added that flipping sides takes time, describing it as “writing left-handed for a year and a half” before switching to writing right-handed within a week. He said the goal is to work to win and to support the offensive line and quarterback.
Head coach Mike Macdonald said he expects a process for the unit to mesh. He pointed to the continuity the Seahawks have built at the position despite missing a player at times and said adding Nelson is an investment intended to strengthen the group.
“Grey's going to continue to get better as well. You understand that there's a process,” Macdonald said. “We've played a lot of games with our offensive line missing a guy here or there. Charles (Cross) missed a couple games last year, but a lot of consistency and continuity at our offensive line position, which has been great. It's worth it when you bring in a guy like Quenton (Nelson) to add to the group. He's one of those guys that's going to be a force multiplier for our group; not just our offensive line but our whole offensive unit and our football team. It's worth that initial investment. You want it to go quicker than not, but you also have to understand that there's a process involved. The guys are working their tails off. They're watching tape, they're getting after it. They're putting in the time, they're putting in the investments. I have all the confidence in the world that we're going to have a heck of an offensive line unit.”
Macdonald also addressed Nelson’s early adaptation, saying that given the newness, Nelson looked like himself on the field in his first game. Lucas noted Nelson was able to pick up the offence on a short timeline to prepare before seeing success.
“I think he fits in pretty well for only being here for like 10 days,” Lucas said. “It's also a testament to how smart he is by picking up an offense after only three or four days and being able to go out and have the success that he had.”
Macdonald said: “Considering the newness, he looked like Quenton Nelson, which is cool. Thought he did a lot of good stuff.”
With the offensive line now described as more solidified and set for a full week of preparation, the Seahawks planned to focus on protecting backup quarterback Drew Lock on Sunday. Sam Darnold was already ruled out with a quad injury, and Seattle practiced on Thursday, November 5, 2026, at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center ahead of its Week 9 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
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