Seahawks' Week 11 loss goes from bad to worse with Grey Zabel injury news
The Seattle Seahawks lost in Week 11 to the Los Angeles Rams, but the team has another chance at LA later in the season. One player who might not be available is rookie left guard Grey Zabel. Don't expect head coach Mike Macdonald to give much information about Zabel's injury, though, because he doesn't do that about any player.
The extent of the injury appeared relatively clear, though, with the expectation that the left guard will be out for a bit. Near the end of the game, left tackle Charles Cross was pushed on Zabel's left leg. The injury occurred on a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Kenneth Walker III, which got Seattle to 21-19.
The rookie offensive lineman was helped off the field and immediately ruled out. That is never a good sign.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald updates Grey Zabel's injury status after Week 11 loss
After the game, Macdonald said the team didn't know how bad the injury was and that imaging would need to be done. That was expected to take place on Monday. The hope was that Zabel wasn't as hurt as he appeared to be at first, but that was probably always a hollow hope.
The injury came a week after center Jalen Sundell hurt his knee and has since been placed on injured reserve. Coincidentally, Sundell and Zabel were also teammates at North Dakota State, and both were having solid seasons this year.
Speaking with Brock Huard and Mike Salk on Macdonald's weekly radio show on Seattle Sports 710 AM, the head coach updated Zabel's status by saying, "Let's get out of the fog before I make any declaration." He also said the team is hopeful; however, the follow-up imaging has not yet been completed.
Zabel's most likely temporary replacement will be Christian Haynes. Haynes has spent most of the year on injured reserve and played for the first time this season on the Seahawks' final drive against the Rams after Zabel was hurt. Haynes gave up one pressure in the final, futile drive, so maybe he will be solid. That would be a bit of a surprise, however.
Still, Seattle has no other player capable of truly playing left guard as the other candidates are rookie Bryce Cabeldue and, potentially, Mason Richman, who has mostly been a healthy scratch. In 2025, the Seattle Seahawks' offensive line has been much better than in previous seasons, but there is no way of knowing what impact missing Zabel and Sundell will have.
The likelihood is that Seattle signs a veteran free agent to the practice squad to add some depth. That could include players such as Shaq Mason or former Seahawks offensive lineman Mark Glowinski.
Update: During a press conference on Monday afternoon, Mike Macdonald said Zabel "avoided a significant injury," and maybe the rookie is day-to-day, but the left guard could miss a week or more, too.
SHOCKING TURN OF EVENTS: Steelers’ Jaylen Warren Put on Notice After Costly Preseason Fumble – Will This Setback Derail His Role?
There’s considerable hype around Pittsburgh Steelers third-round rookie running back Kaleb Johnson. But former undrafted free agent Jaylen Warren is likely to be Pittsburgh’s lead back to begin the season.
One thing that could derail Warren’s role, though, is his fumbling issue. The 26-year-old reminded pundits of his ball security problem with a fumble during Week 3 of the NFL preseason Thursday.
Steelers insider Mark Kaboly argued on 93.7 The Fan on Friday that if the issue isn’t fixed, the team could cut Warren’s playing time.
“I could see him getting benched,” Kaboly said, via Steelers Depot’s Jeremy Pike. “I could see him having a key fumble, coming out. Kaleb Johnson coming in, and Kaleb Johnson making that jump where he’s taking over.
“We’re going to go with him until something else happens.”
Over his three-year NFL career, Warren has fumbled seven times on 473 touches.
Warren fumbled twice last season with 158 touches. Most notably, he coughed up the ball while at the 1-yard line in the November 10 matchup against the Washington Commanders.
The Steelers came back to win that contest, but by a single point.
Steelers’ Jaylen Warren Working on Fumble Issues
Kaboly’s message worked as sort of a warning to the Steelers veteran running back. But the team insider made it clear that Warren doesn’t need the message.
Kaboly explained during his radio appearance that the running back already works very hard at cutting down his fumbles. The hard work just hasn’t come to fruition yet.
“The guy works so hard at it, too. He carries around the water-filled ball all the time, high and tight,” Kaboly said, via Pike. “He always has that ball in his hands, even while standing on the sidelines. He’s very conscious of his shortcomings there.”
Johnson is expected to push Warren for playing time this fall. Warren will have a harder time holding back the rookie if he can’t offer better ball security.
The NFL is a different animal. But in college, Johnson had just three career fumbles at Iowa.
Johnson didn’t fumble on any of his final 475 college touches.
One of the most impressive Kaleb Johnson stats: he had just 3 career fumbles at Iowa and finished with 39 straight games — 475 touches — without a fumble. Of those fumbles, only one (his rookie season vs. Ohio State), was lost.
He had 30 rush TD in 36 games played
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) April 26, 2025
Warren’s NFL Fumbling Record
Two fumbles, including only one lost, in a season doesn’t sound like a lot. But Friday, Pike compared the fumbling percentages Warren and Najee Harris posted in recent years with the Steelers.
Warren fumbled 1.5 percent of the time. Again, that doesn’t sound like a lot. But his fumbling rate was roughly five times higher than Harris’.
“Najee Harris touched the ball 1,277 times in the regular season during his four years with the Steelers,” Pike wrote. “He fumbled five times. That’s a fumble every 255 touches, or a rate of 0.3 percent.”
Warren was a more efficient back than Harris. Even with a decline in his yards per carry average last season, Warren has posted 4.8 yards per rush in his career.
But Harris remained Pittsburgh’s lead back. Ball security was likely a factor as to why.
The same could be the case for Warren even with a rookie backfield mate. It doesn’t matter how many yards Warren accumulates if he doesn’t hold onto the ball.
