The Seattle Seahawks are coming off a close 21-19 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams in the battle of the NFC West. Apart from the defeat, this game almost caused another heartbreak to the Seahawks because of left guard Grey Zabel’s knee injury. However, a recent update on Zabel from head coach Mike Macdnald has finally brought some good news to Seattle’s camp.

“Fortunate to avoid something serious. What I heard was ‘day to day’ on Grey Zabel,” MacDonald said, as per reporter Brian Nemhauser.

It appears that the Seahawks have avoided a major setback as Zabel has escaped serious injury. Macdonald also sounded optimistic when discussing the fact that the initial feedback sounds positive.

”I’ll say it’s optimistic right now. Initial news is really positive,” the Seahawks HC said to reporters.

Still, Macdonald tempered that optimism, saying the team first needs “to get out of the fog” before making any definitive decisions.

Notably, the rookie guard appeared to get injured when center Olu Oluwatimi fell onto his legs. He was pushed into the rookie on a one-yard touchdown run by Kenneth Walker III.

Zabel went down with just over two minutes remaining in Sunday’s contest, and Seattle’s offensive line went into crisis mode. Losing him for an extended stretch would’ve been a serious blow. The rookie has started all ten games and played nearly every snap, swiftly becoming one of the most important young linemen in Seattle. His 49.3 Pro Football Focus grade shows he’s still developing, but shows his importance in the locker room.

Now, with quarterback Sam Darnold needing stable protection, keeping Zabel healthy will be a top priority going into the rest of the season.

His absence was felt immediately. After his exit in the fourth quarter, Christian Haynes stepped in his place. Haynes himself was activated from the injured reserve just days earlier, and suddenly, he was thrown into handling the Rams’ relentless pressure.

The issues keep mounting for the Seahawks. They are already without Jalen Sundell, their starting center, who is on IR with a knee injury. And if initial reports were to be believed, it was anticipated that Zabel might be out with an ACL injury, adding to the severity of the situation. In that case, Haynes would have been forced to play in his place.

Already, Haynes’ early NFL journey has been a bumpy one: once projected as a mid-round steal, he rotated heavily last year before losing snaps late in the season and eventually opening 2025 on IR with a pectoral issue. Sunday marked his first snaps of the season and his first-ever appearance at left guard, an unenviable task thrust upon him under sudden pressure.

Macdonald’s Seahawks are missing out on their wide receiver

The Seahawks are battling with more than one problem. As per ESPN, Seattle’s wide receiver Tory Horton has been ruled out due to groin and shin injuries. His absence comes at a time when Seattle’s offense is still trying to establish consistency.

Despite modest yardage totals, 161 yards through eight games, the fifth-round pick out of Colorado State brought major value, scoring five touchdowns and becoming one of Sam Darnold’s most reliable vertical targets.

His ability to maximize red-zone and downfield opportunities increases his importance in the Seattle offense. Despite his injury, Seattle chose not to place him on IR, clearly indicating that his return can be before the anticipated time. In his absence, Seattle has to rely on Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Cooper Rush, and Rashid Shaheed, whom they acquired just before the trade deadline.

Top Stories

Cowboys Fire Defensive Coordinator Matt Eberflus: Contract, Salary, NFL Earnings & More

Russell Wilson Announces Retirement Stance as Giants QB Shares Hidden Injury News

Dolphins Reportedly Indecisive About Mike McDaniel as GM Search Kicks Off

Joe Flacco Makes Retirement Decision Clear as Bengals QB’s Final Gesture for Ja’Marr Chase Draws Attention

Brian Schottenheimer Calls Out Controversial Jaxson Dart Incident as Cowboys Star Awaits NFL Punishment

Currently sitting at 7-3, the Seahawks will play the Tennessee Titans, who are struggling to keep their playoff hopes alive with a 1-9 record.