Seahawks trade two future picks for Quenton Nelson

The Seattle Seahawks have secured a veteran left guard to reinforce their offensive line. This move follows a 27-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Seattle General Manager John Schneider sent a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday. This trade is pending a physical. The acquisition is a direct response to the line's recent struggles, including allowing 10 sacks to quarterback Sam Darnold in the team's last two losses.

Quenton Nelson, 30, has earned eight consecutive Pro Bowl selections. He will likely play left guard, the position he has occupied since becoming a starter at Notre Dame 13 years ago. This placement pushes Grey Zabel, a 2025 first-round pick, to right guard. Anthony Bradford, who recently returned from injury, will serve as the primary backup.

Nelson is in the final year of a four-year, $80 million contract. Schneider has a history of re-signing similar acquisitions, as Leonard Williams, Ernest Jones IV, and Rashid Shaheed all signed multiyear extensions after joining Seattle on expiring deals. New owners Vinod and Neeru Khosla have shown a willingness to spend, with defensive lineman Leonard Williams signing an extension just one day after the Khoslas bought the team.

The Seahawks currently sit outside the playoff picture with a 4-3 record. The San Francisco 49ers hold a 2.5-game lead in the NFC West. Seattle lost to San Francisco 32-29 at Lumen Field on October 11. The 49ers dropped their first game of the season on Sunday.

Nelson's presence aims to stabilize the run game for backs Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price, both of whom have injury concerns. The defense held the Chiefs to 213 total yards on Sunday, their lowest output in a regular-season game started by Patrick Mahomes. Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues to lead the NFL in receiving yards.

Fullback Brady Russell addressed team skepticism on Sunday, stating, "We’re the 2026 Seahawks." The team faces San Francisco again later in the regular season. Seattle has one more meeting with the 49ers on their schedule this year.