Seattle Seahawks general manager/president of football operations John Schneider has spent all offseason discussing the team's need for offensive line help. And in fairness to him, he's put his money where his mouth is, spending their first-round pick on North Dakota State standout Grey Zabel.
Zabel figures to start off inside for the Seahawks. They have 2022 No. 9 selection Charles Cross and rising fourth-year pro Abraham Lucas manning the outside of their protection unit. However, the latter of the two tackles has had each of his past two campaigns derailed by a knee injury. Knowing this, Seattle should consider reconnecting with veteran free-agent George Fant as a depth option.
Seahawks might want to reunite with veteran free-agent OT George Fant
Lucas has appeared in 13 contests across the past two seasons. His track record suggests he'll miss time in 2025. If so, do the Seahawks want to move Zabel around the offensive line? Adjusting to life in the NFL is hard enough, let alone simultaneously learning multiple positions. Fant can save Seattle from overwhelming their incoming rookie.
Atop Schneider's offseason to-do list is ostensibly to keep $100 million quarterback Sam Darnold upright, hence the Zabel selection. Nonetheless, Lucas' health concerns may present issues. Insert Fant, who's been a member of the Seahawks twice, including last season.
After going undrafted, Fant began his career with Seattle in 2016 and rejoined the club in March 2024. He's familiar with longstanding members of the organization like Schneider and second-year head coach Mike Macdonald. If the Seahawks trusted him to block for Russell Wilson and Geno Smith, why not bring him back for Darnold?
Smith's 2.4 seconds of pocket time last year was in the upper half of the league ranks. Yet, his pressure rate (21.9) and sack percentage (7.96) were above the league average. Perhaps that tells us the two-time Pro Bowler held on to the ball a little too long, though Darnold operates similarly.
Notably, Darnold had more time to throw than Smith this past season behind a formidable Vikings O-line and boasted a slightly higher sack rate. If the Seahawks want to maximize their new nine-figure signal-caller, protecting him should be a point of emphasis, making reuniting with Fant worthwhile.
Darnold is better suited as a button-pushing game manager. In 2024, we saw what happens when a franchise relies on him to make plays off script. He shockingly guided the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-3 regular-season record in a career-best campaign, only to implode under the bright lights of the playoffs.
Starting games at left guard and both tackle spots in college, Zabel thrived wherever North Dakota put him. Yet, Fant gives Seattle the positional versatility they need without hampering his development, having experience on either edge of the offensive trenches.
Fant only logged 30 offensive snaps last season, but Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave him a 61.3 overall grade. Despite the small sample size, he struggled mightily in pass protection. However, his above-average run-blocking fits well with a team that projects to boast a run-first offense under new play-caller Klint Kubiak.