The Seattle Seahawks could be dealing with another offensive line concern ahead of their Week 9 NFC West matchup against the Arizona Cardinals, as newly acquired guard Quenton Nelson was downgraded on Thursday's injury report because of a knee issue.
Nelson was a limited participant during Wednesday's practice but did not take part in the following day's session. His absence adds to Seattle's growing list of injury concerns, with nine players missing practice on Thursday. The six starters who sat out included quarterback Sam Darnold, wide receiver Rashid Shaheed, left tackle Charles Cross, Nelson, defensive tackle Leonard Williams and linebacker Derick Hall.
Moreover, edge rushers Uchenna Nwosu and Connor O'Toole, along with nose tackle Brandon Pili, also did not practice. Meanwhile, linebacker Ernest Jones IV and quarterback Drew Lock were limited, while several other players made progress. Most prominently, right guard Anthony Bradford was upgraded to full participation after being limited Wednesday.
If Nelson cannot suit up on Sunday, Bradford could return to his usual starting position on the right side, allowing rookie Grey Zabel to move back to left guard. Zabel had switched to the right side after the Seahawks traded for Nelson from the Indianapolis Colts on October 27.
The adjustment came with challenges during Monday night's 34-17 loss to the Chicago Bears. Zabel allowed one pressure, which resulted in a sack by Jeffery Simmons, while Nelson surrendered just one hurry across 39 pass-blocking snaps. Nelson also recorded a false start during the contest.
Seattle will hope to have Nelson available as the team searches for an antidote to its flagging offensive potency. The Seahawks have averaged 3.9 yards per rushing attempt through eight games, ranking 24th in the NFL. Their minus-50.33 expected points added on rushing plays is the worst mark in the league.
Seattle enters the Week 9 clash at 4-4. The game also carries division implications, as the loser could drop to the bottom of the standings if the Los Angeles Rams take down the Washington Commanders.