Seahawks bolster offensive line with first-round selection

Watching the Seattle Seahawks' offense last season, it was evident that their pass protection was subpar, which contributed to Seattle missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

Offensive tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas have underwhelmed during their tenures with Seattle, but the interior offensive line is where this front line consistently got exposed in 2024.

With Alabama guard Tyler Booker going 12th overall to the Dallas Cowboys, the Seahawks went with the second-best guard in the class, Grey Zabel, at 18th.

The former North Dakota State offensive lineman played three different positions in his collegiate career, which will prepare him for the next level. In the NFL, Zabel projects to play at guard or center.

At 6-foot-6 inches and 312 pounds, Zabel boasts impressive athleticism, able to slide and tackle when needed.

Seattle refused to meet Geno Smith's contract demands, trading the 34-year-old quarterback to the Las Vegas Raiders, which signed him to a two-year, $75 million contract with $66.5 million guaranteed.

After moving Smith, the Seahawks made Sam Darnold their new starting quarterback, inking him to a three-year, $100.5 million contract with $55 million guaranteed. However, this is essentially a one-year, $37 million deal with a way out after 2025 if Darnold returns to earth after leading the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-3 record last season.

Was Darnold's success in 2024 a sign of things to come? Or was he a product of Kevin O'Connell's system while surrounded by elite weapons?

If it is the latter, supplying Darnold with as much protection as possible will give him the best chance of replicating what he accomplished last season.

Taking an interior offensive lineman is not sexy, but this was quietly one of the best picks in the first round.