How concerning is Abraham Lucas’ status for Seahawks?

Jul 29, 2024, 9:25 AM | Updated: 9:35 am

Seattle Seahawks right tackle Abraham Lucas looks on prior to a 2022 game. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

BY CAMERON VAN TIL

Seattle Sports

With training camp now underway, the health of Seattle Seahawks right tackle Abraham Lucas remains a concern.

Brock: The crux of how Seahawks’ new defense is different

Lucas, a 2022 third-round draft pick out of Washington State, looked like a potential long-term fixture at right tackle while starting 16 games as a rookie. However, the 6-foot-6, 322-pound Everett native suffered a knee injury in Week 1 last fall and ended up playing just six games last year. At one point last season, former Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll described the injury as “chronic.”

After undergoing knee surgery in January, Lucas was sidelined for the entirety of Seattle’s offseason spring program and was placed on the physically unable to perform list ahead of training camp. Following the Seahawks’ first training camp practice last Wednesday, new head coach Mike Macdonald said Lucas’ timetable to return to the field remains unclear.

“It’s tough with Abe,” Macdonald said. “I mean, the thing with Abe that’s tough is the guy works incredibly hard. And so it’s a process right now. Timetable, it’s like, I can’t tell you. But we’re looking at it. We’re trying to get there as fast as we can. I think it would be fair to say that we were hoping it’d go a little faster up to this point. But we’re in a process of bringing him back when we have a plan for him. But it’s just, I can’t tell you right now on when exactly he’ll be back.”

Macdonald then was asked if there’s concern over Lucas not being ready by the Sept. 8 regular-season opener against the Denver Broncos.

“I mean, if he’s not out here, you know, are you concerned that things could go and take a bad turn?” Macdonald said. “Yeah, you’re always thinking about that. But I wouldn’t say that’s exclusive to Abe.”

When asked if Lucas is able to run full-speed right now, Macdonald responded, “Yeah, I believe so.”

What’s the level of concern?

The season opener is still nearly six weeks away and players can be activated off the PUP list at any time during the preseason. But given Lucas’ status and Macdonald’s comments, what’s the level of concern about his health going forward?

“The closer it gets to the preseason, the higher it gets,” former NFL wide receiver Michael Bumpus said Thursday during Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy. “I think last week, last month, I felt better about it, but obviously he ain’t right.”

Bob Stelton had a similar reaction Thursday on Seattle Sports’ Wyman and Bob.

“When healthy, you could argue he’s the best O-lineman you have out there,” Stelton said. “Problem is, he’s not been healthy. He’s had an issue with a knee that, when Pete was here, made it sound like it was chronic.

“I’m kind of treating this like when he’s out there, I’ll appreciate it, but I don’t expect it,” he added. “This just doesn’t feel like anything that gets fixed or cured. I’d love to be wrong on that. I would love for him to just, ‘Hey, it’s healed. He’s ready to go, he’s 100 percent and there’s no concerns week in, week out.’ It just doesn’t feel like that’s the way it’s gonna be.”

Former NFL linebacker Dave Wyman pointed to how unfortunate the situation is, given how promising Lucas’ rookie season was. Wyman shared an anecdote from watching film of Lucas with former NFL offensive lineman Ray Roberts.

“I would always consult Big Ray,” Wyman said. “… And he’s like, ‘Yeah, these are things that you pick up in your second and third year,’ and (Lucas) was doing it his rookie year. So that’s a huge shame there, but we’ll see. Maybe he’ll miss the start of the season, but hopefully he’ll be back at some point.”

The contingency plans

The Seahawks appear better prepared to withstand a potential long absence from Lucas this year.

During the offseason, Seattle signed veteran tackle George Fant, who returns to the Seahawks after starting 46 games for the franchise between 2016 and 2019. Early on in training camp, the 32-year-old Fant has typically been the first-team right tackle, according to ESPN’s Brady Henderson.

Seattle also has moved second-year pro McClendon Curtis to right tackle to back up Fant. Curtis spent most of the offseason program playing right guard.

“Right now, there’s uncertainty at that right tackle spot, but you do have a backup plan,” Bumpus said. “It might not be the plan that you want, that you’re hoping for, but it’s there.”

In addition, the Seahawks brought in veteran free-agent interior offensive lineman Connor Williams for a visit last week. ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter posted on social media Wednesday that Williams passed a physical with Seattle and that the two sides had begun negotiations. According to Schefter, the 27-year-old Williams was still in talks with other teams.

Williams started 51 games with the Dallas Cowboys between 2018 and 2021, primarily playing left guard. He then started 26 games at center for the Miami Dolphins over the past two seasons before suffering a torn ACL last December.

“He’s got position flex, but last year did a great job at center, so I think that’s where you would find him if he was here,” Macdonald said last Wednesday when asked about Williams.

If he does end up signing with the Seahawks, Williams’ experience at both center and guard could prove valuable.

“That’s a common characteristic with offensive linemen here in Seattle is that you better be able to play multiple positions, and that is hard to do,” Bumpus said. “… People just think, ‘Oh, well, you’re an offensive lineman, it’s all the same.’ No, it’s not. Just like being a receiver, in some offenses in college, you just play on the right side. DK (Metcalf) was one of those guys. You just play on that side, so you’re used to cutting a certain way and you’re used to feeling your body move a certain way.

“So it can be done, but it’s not as easy as what people think. But here in Seattle, they seem to find guys who get acclimated to different spots fairly quickly.”

Listen to the full conversation on Bump and Stacy at this link or in the audio player near the middle of this story. Hear the full conversation on Wyman and Bob at this link or in the audio player near the middle of this story.