The Seattle Seahawks haven't made really any splashy moves in free agency, but have watched as key players have signed elsewhere. According to former Seattle icon Richard Sherman, what the team has done is just fine. That is because the base was strong, especially with young players such as Grey Zabel.
Zabel, of course, was a somewhat surprising first-round choice for Seattle in 2025, not because he wasn't capable of being very good, of course, but because he was an interior offensive lineman. General manager John Schneider had previously said he thought guards were overpaid and overdrafted, but he clearly didn't mean that for all cases.
Speaking on his eponymous podcast, Sherman said, "(Seattle) has taken care of the positions that you have to take care of, which are offensive line and defensive line. It's not sexy to draft a guard in the first round, but when you do, you solidify your offensive line in an incredible way...That's what they brought in with Grey Zabel...He's one of those old school cut offensive linemen that's like, 'Hey, we got to sit there, we gotta drink beer together. We gotta hang out.'"
Richard Sherman praises the Seattle Seahawks for doing the right thing
As Herman and Zabel know, few units on a football team need to have as much cohesiveness as the offensive line does. The five players have to work in tandem on everything, and knowing what the player next to you is capable of and will do on a consistent basis is key.
Zabel was helped by having veteran (and very good) left tackle Charles Cross beside him, but the left guard was also helped by center Jalen Sundell being to his right. Sundell was entering a season as a starter for the first time, but the center and left guard played together when both were at North Dakota State.
That familiarity should not be easily dismissed, as it helps create cohesion quickly. Sundell wasn't the best center in the league last season, but he was far from being the first, too. That was likely helped by having Zabel next to him.
The question in 2026 and moving forward is whether the Seattle Seahawks continue the trend for which they were recently praised by Richard Sherman. Does John Schneider change his approach this year as the team only has four selections heading into the draft? Maybe the GM chooses to take mostly skill position players, such as a running back or cornerback.
Many fans certainly want to see Seattle find a new right guard and replace Anthony Bradford, for instance. He has been one of the more inconsistent and underperforming players at his position in the league, and the Seahawks could do with an upgrade. Still, what would be shocking is for the team to address his spot early in the 2026 draft.