As far as predictions go, I think most Seattle fans would agree with this.
Perhaps one of the most underrated aspects of the Seattle Seahawks' offseason is the continuity of the offensive line.
All five starters, Charles Cross, Grey Zabel, Jalen Sundell, Anthony Braford and Abe Lucas are all returning to protect Sam Darnold. That is exactly what you want if you are a quarterback.
Looking ahead to the new season, you can easily make the case that the Seahawks' offense, despite losing Kenneth Walker, is still in good shape.
The receiver room is led by Jaxon Smith-Njigba; AJ Barner is an up-and-coming tight end, and, as I mentioned, the offensive line returns.
And it is here where Seahawks fans can perhaps feel good about the future of the line.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler enlisted the help of scouts, coaches, and executives and has gone through all of the positions to determine the top 10 at each.
When it came to the best centers/guards, none were put in the top 10, but Zabel made the "honorable mentions" section, which, for a player entering their second NFL season, is a nice tip of the cap.
But there's more.
An NFC executive had this to say about Zabel's future.
"He played his [expletive] off as a rookie. He's going to be a Pro Bowler for [the Seahawks]. Excellent."
That is a big call, but most fans would agree it's the right one.
Zabel played and started in all 17 regular season games plus the three playoff outings.
Per PFF, Zabel allowed only 24 pressures and 2 sacks last season, while committing 5 penalties. The overall grade of 57.3 isn't exactly great (ranked 51st out of 81 guards), but it was his rookie season.
More is expected in 2026, and now that he has another full offseason to work on his game with the same teammates, many expect Zabel to be even better at protecting Darnold.
The second-year leap is often talked about around the league, and if Zabel can work on his craft and play another full season, he has every chance to become a Pro Bowler as a key piece of Seattle's offensive line.
