Seahawks already have O-line injury trouble after Week 1 win

In last year’s season opener, Seattle Seahawks starting offensive tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas both suffered injuries that sidelined them and lingered throughout the year. It kickstarted an injury-ravaged 2023 for Seattle’s O-line, which was forced to roll out 10 different starting combinations over the 17-game slate.

Observations | Instant Reaction | Rost’s column | Recap | Stats

In a case of déjà vu, the injury bug struck another Seahawks tackle in this year’s opener.

Late in the first quarter of Seattle’s Week 1 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday, veteran right tackle George Fant exited with a knee injury. Shortly afterward, the Seahawks declared him out for the rest of the game.

“He has a little bit of a knee (injury),” Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald said during his postgame press conference. “We’re not sure what’s going on, but we’ll figure that out.”

Fant was replaced by fourth-year reserve tackle Stone Forsythe, who made eight starts last season while filling in due to injuries.

Fant’s injury essentially bumps the Seahawks down to their third-string right tackle. Fant was starting in place of Lucas, who remains on the physically unable to perform list as he continues to recover from January knee surgery. Players on the PUP list are required to miss at least the first four games.

Seattle signed Fant this offseason largely as a contingency plan for the possibility of Lucas missing time. Lucas, a third-year pro out of Washington State who attended Everett’s Archbishop Murphy High School, was limited to just six games last year due to lingering issues from his Week 1 knee injury. The Seahawks had hoped Lucas would recover in time for this season, but general manager John Schneider said last month that the team is being cautious and playing “the long game” with Lucas’ health.

Fant, a ninth-year veteran, is in his second stint with Seattle. He spent his first four seasons with the Seahawks between 2016 and 2019, starting 24 games for the franchise. He then played the next three seasons with the New York Jets before signing with Houston and starting 13 games for the Texans last year.

More on the Seattle Seahawks’ season opener

• ‘We didn’t flinch’: Seahawks defense makes opening statement
• Hawks already have O-line injury trouble after Week 1 win
• Seattle Seahawks RBs key second-half surge in win over Broncos

Follow @CameronVanTil