Seattle Seahawks 90-Man Roundup: Will George Fant Be Regular Contributor at OT?

After four seasons with the Jets and Texans, George Fant returned to the Seattle Seahawks this offseason — the same team that took a chance on him in 2016.

December 29, 2019; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle George Fant (74) against San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) during the fourth quarter at CenturyLink Field. / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than a month, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best- and worst-case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

Now in his second stint with the Seahawks, what will George Fant’s role on the offensive line look like this season?

Background

Fant was a three-star basketball prospect from Warren Central High School in Kentucky, and he went on to play four seasons at forward for Western Kentucky. After being convinced to try football instead of playing professional basketball overseas, Fant used his fifth year of eligibility to join the Hilltoppers football team as a tight end and defensive lineman during the 2015–16 season. Fant recorded just one reception for seven yards and two tackles in his lone college football season. At Western Kentucky’s Pro Day, Fant drilled at multiple positions along the offensive and defensive lines, as well as at tight end. Seattle signed Fant as an undrafted free agent following the 2016 NFL Draft, and he was converted to an offensive tackle, backing up Bradley Sowell at the time. With injuries mounting and Fant quickly learning the position, he started 24 games over the following four seasons with the Seahawks, despite missing all of the 2017 season with a torn ACL. Fant was also used as a gadget lineman, occasionally reporting as eligible and lining up at tight end. He caught one pass for nine yards in the 2018 season. Fant was signed by the Jets ahead of the 2020 season, and he started 36 games with New York from 2020–22. In 2023, he started 13 games for the Texans before signing with the Seahawks this offseason.

Scheme Fit

Listed at 6-5, 316 pounds, Fant provides the versatility on the offensive line Seattle has been looking for, especially with long-term durability concerns surrounding third-year right tackle Abraham Lucas. Fant has ample experience at both tackle positions during his NFL career, allowing him to plug in on either side of the line for the Seahawks, and he has particularly excelled in pass-blocking situations.

Best Case Scenario

While it wouldn’t be ideal from a team perspective, the ceiling for Fant in 2024 would be starting at least 10 games in place of Lucas if his knee injury continues to be an issue. Fant would step in as one of the top backups in the NFL, as he could be a full-time starter elsewhere. If Seattle’s starters remain healthy, however, he could see the field somewhat regularly in jumbo packages.

Worst Case Scenario

Fant was mostly brought in as insurance behind starters Lucas and Charles Cross, and he may remain purely as a backup and special teams blocker if they stay healthy. While this is a positive from a team perspective, it means Fant will see the field less. Regardless, it’s unlikely he falls lower on the depth chart than a primary backup.

What to Expect in 2024

It is possible Fant will play a larger role in Seattle’s offensive line rotation than just backing up Lucas and Cross. With his versatility, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb may use Fant as an extra tight end on run plays, though that wasn’t a regular occurrence in Grubb’s offense at Washington. The main motivation for signing Fant still appears to be the Seahawks wanting a premier backup to Lucas if his injury lingers, and Fant’s two-year, $9.1 million contract ($3.7 million guaranteed) supports that notion. It’s also a plus he can fill in for Cross, who missed three games last season due to injury, if needed.

Fant was the 47th-highest-graded pass-blocking tackle in the NFL last season, per Pro Football Focus, at 68.7 — just four spots below Cross and well above Lucas (116th) during his limited action in six games. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Fant receive a healthy number of snaps, regardless of Lucas and Cross’ situations. However, it’s also unlikely that he will become a full-time starter for the Seahawks if both of their tackles are healthy during the season.

Previous 90-Man Roundups

Buddha Jones | Devin Richardson | TaMerik Williams | Rason Williams II | Ro Torrence | Nathan Pickering | Dee Williams | Devere Levelston | Kobe Lewis | Sunny Anderson | Mike Novitsky | Max Pircher | Easton Gibbs | Hayden Hatten | Garret Greenfield | Carlton Johnson | Matt Gotel |George Holani | Cody White | Ty Okada | Drake Thomas | McClendon Curtis | Easop Winston Jr. |Nelson Ceaser | Jonathan Sutherland | Lance Boykin | Joshua Onujiogu | Patrick O'Connell |Jack Westover | Raiqwon O'Neal | Tyler Mabry | Dareke Young | Tremayne Anchrum | DJ James | Artie Burns | Kenny McIntosh | Myles Adams | Dee Eskridge | Stone Forsythe | Tyrice Knight |Jerrick Reed II | Mike Morris | Coby Bryant | Jake Bobo | Jon Rhattigan | Nick Harris | Johnathan Hankins | Derick Hall | Laviska Shenault | PJ Walker | K'Von Wallace | Sam Howell|Sataoa Laumea | Pharaoh Brown | Michael Dickson | Tre Brown