Seattle Seahawks RT Abraham Lucas Provides Encouraging Health Update

Now four weeks away from the start of training camp, Abraham Lucas looks to be inching closer to returning to the field just in time for the Seahawks.

September 18, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Abraham Lucas (72) during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

With training camp only a month away, a key starter on the Seattle Seahawks offensive line looks to be trending in a positive direction returning from offseason surgery.

Posting video on his Instagram account, Seahawks right tackle Abraham Lucas could be seen deadlifting without a brace on his surgically-repaired knee. He also provided an update that he has resumed running, an excellent sign on his progress after missing all of the team's offseason program, including mandatory minicamp.

Love seeing this from Abe Lucas h/t to @savagecookie pic.twitter.com/zMett9qTUQ

— Brian Nemhauser (@hawkblogger) June 19, 2024

Drafted in the third round out of Washington State in 2022, Lucas beat out Jake Curhan to earn a starting spot in training camp as a rookie, joining teammate Charles Cross as only the third tandem of rookie tackles to start for the same team in Week 1 since the 1970 merger. He wound up starting 16 out of 17 games, earning All Rookie Team honors from Pro Football Focus after allowing just 28 pressures in a standout first campaign.

Unfortunately, injuries set Lucas back from the outset entering his sophomore season. He underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason and though he returned in training camp, he lasted only two quarters in Seattle's season opener before exiting with a knee issue. Placed on injured reserve, he missed two months before being activated, starting five games before lingering knee problems ended his season in late December.

Sidelined for most of the season, Lucas missed 11 out of 17 games with two different stints on injured reserve, and his performance suffered when he did play. On just 182 pass blocking snaps, per PFF, he yielded 17 pressures and posted a dreadful 94.4 percent pass blocking efficiency rate. His run blocking grade also dipped by more than seven points with him struggling to generate power to create push at the line of scrimmage due to his troublesome knee.

After undergoing surgery in January, the Seahawks were proactive adding insurance in case Lucas would miss time into the season or continued to have knee problems, bringing back veteran tackle George Fant on a two-year contract. Along with Fant and fourth-year blocker Stone Forsythe, the team also invested a sixth round pick in Findlay tackle Michael Jerrell and added undrafted rookie Garret Greenfield for extra depth.

During the midst of OTAs last month, coach Mike Macdonald told reporters Seattle was "shooting for" Lucas to return for the start of training camp and reiterated the same timeline at the end of mandatory minicamp, where he could be seen supporting teammates on the sideline. Fant jumped in with the first-team offense in his absence, while Raiqwon O'Neal also saw some reps with the starting unit in minicamp.

While Lucas likely will need to be eased back into action and could even start training camp on the PUP list, his latest update should provide encouragement for the Seahawks that he's close to being ready to return and on schedule. Hopeful he will round back into rookie form, getting the young tackle back fully healthy would give the offensive line a major boost protecting Geno Smith and opening up holes in the run game heading into the 2024 season.