Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Abe Lucas appeared to have immediately solved a problem at right tackle for the franchise in 2022. The No. 72 overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft hit the ground running as a rookie, earning the starting job and playing nearly 1,000 snaps. An early 2023 injury completely derailed his sophomore season, however. Lucas is now tasked with getting back healthy and productive in what’s setting up to be a critical campaign.
Lucas' debut season was an anomaly. He helped the Seahawks form a new-look tandem at offensive tackle alongside fellow rookie blocker Charles Cross. Pro Football Focus credited Lucas with allowing just 28 pressures, eight hits, and seven penalties through a complete body of work. A solid pass-blocking grade of 69.8 was credited to him as a result.
Expectations were heightened for Lucas in 2023. The 25-year-old blocker unfortunately suffered a knee injury in Week 1 that landed him on IR. Lucas ended up dealing with a chronic knee issue all season long that limited him to six regular-season appearances.
His on-field production suffered as well. The former Washington State standout allowed 17 pressures via just 182 pass-blocking snaps. That's one quarterback pressure every 10.7 plays. Lucas' pass protection grade plummeted to 44.4 as a result. For comparison purposes, he allowed a pressure every 22.6 snaps as a rookie.
The knee that bothered Lucas dating back to Washington State was surgically repaired this offseason. There's still some ongoing doubt that Lucas will be ready for the 2024 season. New head coach Mike McDaniel offered a less-than-encouraging update approximately one week ago.
“It’s hard to tell," McDaniel said. "We’re shooting for [training] camp right now. Abe’s getting after it in rehab, so I’m proud of the effort he’s putting in."
Mike Macdonald on where RT Abe Lucas (knee) is at in his rehab: "It’s hard to tell. We’re shooting for camp right now. Abe’s getting after it in rehab, so I’m proud of his effort he’s putting in."
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) May 22, 2024
He said G Anthony Bradford tweaked his ankle Tuesday and shouldn't be out long.
The Seahawks made moves in the offseason to protect themselves against another Lucas injury, or what may be a slow-moving rehab process. Seattle was ill-prepared for his absence last season, rotating through various players at the position, including Jason Peters, Jake Curhan, and Stone Forsythe. It's precisely why general manager John Schneider signed George Fant in free agency earlier this offseason.
A veteran journeyman, Fant played more than 900 snaps at offensive tackle for the Houston Texans last season. Before his one-year stint in Houston, he spent the better part of three consecutive seasons (2020-22) as a starter for the New York Jets. It's a reunion between Fant and the Seahawks, who originally signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2016.
Fant will receive first-team reps throughout training camp until Lucas is ready to resume physical activity. Forsythe also remains in the mix. The Seahawks will have faith in Fant as a backup plan and won't see a necessity to rush Lucas' timeline.
Lucas will be eligible to sign a contract extension after the 2024 season. He'll be slated to enter the fourth and final year of his rookie contract in 2025. If the Everett, Washington native recaptures his 2022 rookie form, there's a scenario where he signs a multi-year extension worth approximately $15 million annually next offseason. Lucas controls his destiny.
