Seahawks Announce Major Quenton Nelson News Following Trade

Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald confirmed Thursday that the team will start newly acquired guard Quenton Nelson at left guard when he makes his debut Monday night against the Chicago Bears.

Nelson, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, spent his entire career with the Indianapolis Colts at left guard after the team selected him sixth overall in the 2018 draft. Macdonald said the Seahawks will keep him in that spot rather than shifting him elsewhere along the offensive line.

Grey Zabel, Seattle’s starting left guard and the team’s 2025 first-round pick, will move to right guard. Anthony Bradford, who has handled right guard duties, will shift into a reserve role.

Macdonald also said Nelson is expected to take his first snaps with the Seahawks in the Monday night game at Lumen Field. The Bears enter that matchup at 5-2 after acquiring All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons from the Tennessee Titans earlier Thursday.

Nelson and Simmons faced each other multiple times while both played in the AFC South. Their most recent meeting came Oct. 18, when the Titans upset the Colts 26-20. Simmons recorded two of Tennessee’s six sacks in that game.

The Seahawks acquired Nelson from the Colts on Tuesday in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. The 30-year-old is in the final year of his contract.

Through seven games this season with Indianapolis, Nelson earned an 85.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking third among qualifying guards. He allowed zero sacks and just six pressures across 275 pass-blocking snaps, posting an 81.9 pass-blocking grade and a 94.4% pass-block win rate. His run-blocking grade stood at 82.3, seventh among guards.

Seattle’s offensive line has faced challenges in 2026. The Seahawks have allowed 16 sacks through seven games, including five each in losses to the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos. The team averages 3.9 yards per carry on the ground.

The Seahawks, the defending Super Bowl champions, stand at 4-3 and second in the NFC West after a 20-3 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Left tackle Charles Cross is dealing with a high-ankle sprain.

Macdonald described the addition of Nelson by saying, “Decisive. Shocking. Relentless.”

He added, “We’re really excited to have the opportunity to acquire Quenton Nelson. I think John and his team did a great job of making that happen. You know, we’re excited for him to add, to join our squad, join the twelves.”

The move gives Seattle a proven interior presence as it looks to stabilize protection for quarterback Sam Darnold and open lanes in the run game. Nelson has played more than 9,000 snaps at left guard in his career.

Zabel, who moved around the line in college at North Dakota State, will now pair with Nelson on the interior. Bradford provides depth after returning from injury earlier this season.

Monday’s game marks Nelson’s first opportunity to show what he can add to a Seahawks offense that ranks in the middle of the league in both yards and points. The Bears’ acquisition of Simmons adds another layer to the interior matchup.