Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said initial tests on Grey Zabelâs injured knee have been âoptimistic,â but the standout rookie left guard is still waiting on MRI results to confirm the severity of the damage. He gave the update on his regular Monday radio appearance on Seattle Sports.Â
Zabel went down late in Seattleâs 21-19 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday when center Olu Oluwatimi was pushed back into his legs on Kenneth Walkerâs short touchdown run at SoFi Stadium.
The first-round pick remained on the turf for several minutes before being helped to the sideline, evaluated in the blue medical tent and then taken to the locker room. He did not return, and Christian Haynes finished the game at left guard on the Seahawksâ frantic final drive.
Mike Macdonald Shares Cautious Grey Zabel Knee Update
Speaking on his regular Monday appearance, Macdonald said trainersâ on-field ligament tests after the game brought encouraging news, but he stopped short of declaring that Zabel had avoided a season-ending injury.
âIâd say itâs optimistic right nowâ was how Macdonald framed it, noting that the teamâs current information comes from those manual knee exams done at the stadium. He added that he doesnât want to get âout of the fogâ with bold statements until imaging confirms what the staff believes theyâre seeing.
Macdonald said Zabel was undergoing an MRI on Monday morning while the coach was on the air, with the team hoping for clarity on the rookieâs timeline once doctors review the scan.
Zabel, Seattleâs highest-drafted interior offensive lineman since Hall of Famer Steve Hutchinson in 2001, has quickly become a cornerstone up front after being selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
What Grey Zabelâs Injury Means for the Seahawksâ Offensive Line
Even with early signs pointing in the right direction, the Seahawks have to prepare as if they might be without Zabel in the short term. At minimum, the rookieâs practice time will be limited while the team sorts through test results and determines how much he can do this week.
Haynes, a 2024 third-round pick who just came off injured reserve over the weekend because of a pectoral injury, is next up at left guard if Zabel misses any time. He stepped in for Seattleâs final possession against the Rams, a drive that started at the Seahawksâ own 1-yard line and ended with Jason Myersâ missed 61-yard field goal attempt.
The timing is tough for a line thatâs already without starting center Jalen Sundell, who landed on injured reserve with his own knee issue. If Zabel is sidelined, Seattle could head into Sundayâs road game against the Tennessee Titans with two interior starters out.
The Seahawks sit at 7-3 and remain firmly in the NFC playoff race, but Sam Darnoldâs four-interception outing in Los Angeles underscored how important pass protection and the run game are for this offense. Losing their best interior lineman for any stretch would be a significant blow, even against a Titans team that enters Week 12 at 1-9.
Whatâs Next for Grey Zabel & Seattle
The Seahawks are expected to update Zabelâs status once his MRI is read and the medical staff has a firm diagnosis. Until then, Macdonald and his staff will build contingency plans around Haynes and the rest of the depth chart on the interior.
For now, Seattle can take some comfort in the fact that the early read on Zabelâs knee is positive. But until those scans come back clean, the Seahawksâ most important rookie not named âquarterbackâ remains one big medical result away from reshaping the rest of their season
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