Mike Macdonald Finally Breaks Silence on Rookie Grey Zabel’s Knee Injury—and the Update Changes Everything for Seattle. DH
The Seahawks got much-needed positive news on their prized rookie draft pick.
The Seattle Seahawks had arguably their biggest injury scare of the 2025 season on Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams when prized rookie left guard Grey Zabel went down on the field for an extended period.
Zabel was rolled up on by left tackle Charles Cross as running back Kenneth Walker III plunged into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter. He was helped off the field, and Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald stated it was a knee injury postgame.
On Seattle’s final would-be game-winning drive, replacement left guard Christian Haynes — fresh off of injured reserve — was getting bulldozed by the Rams’ defensive front. The Seahawks are already without starting center Jalen Sundell, who is also on injured reserve with a knee injury.
An extended absence by Zabel could significantly hamper the Seahawks’ run game and pass protection. Thankfully, Macdonald gave a positive update on his Monday radio hit with Seattle Sports 710 AM.
“I’ll say it’s optimistic right now. So, initial news is really positive,” Macdonald said, per The Tacoma News Tribune reporter Gregg Bell. “But let’s get out of the fog here before I start making any declarations.”
The initial indications were that it could be a significant ACL injury. If that were to be season-ending, Haynes would likely be the starting left guard for the rest of the season.
Haynes, a 2024 third-round pick, has already had a complicated first 1.5 seasons in the NFL. Initially thought to be a potential draft steal by the Seahawks out of UConn, Haynes played in 16 games as a rookie.
He was rotated in and out of the lineup with Anthony Bradford at right guard from Weeks 1-8 and played a season-high 60 offensive snaps in Week 12 once Bradford suffered a foot injury.
However, after Bradford was placed on season-ending IR, 2024 fifth-round pick Sataoa Laumea ended up starting the final six games of the season at right guard. Haynes began the 2025 season on IR with a pectoral injury, and Sunday night against the Rams was his first action of the year and first of his career at left guard.
Zabel has been a bright spot for the Seahawks, giving the franchise hope that their offensive line is trending in the right direction after being the offense’s weak point for the better part of a decade.
Seattle spent the No. 18 overall pick on Zabel in the 2025 draft, showing a commitment to building the interior of the offensive line. They’ll need him if they want to continue being among the best offenses in the league.
