SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - SEPTEMBER 10: Abraham Lucas #72 of the Seattle Seahawks looks on against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field on September 10, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Abraham Lucas is expected to be activated from injured reserve by the Seattle Seahawks.
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With no injury designation on Wednesday’s final report, it appears that Abraham Lucas will play again when the Seattle Seahawks travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys in a pivotal Week 13 matchup.
Following a flawless practice this week, right tackle Abraham Lucas’s return to the starting lineup against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 13 will give the Seattle Seahawks a huge boost up the offensive line.
After receiving an injection in September, Lucas has been sidelined by a knee injury since Seattle’s season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Rams. It is anticipated that Lucas will be activated from injured reserve to the 53-man roster prior to Thursday’s game at AT&T Stadium. Without any roster spots available at the moment, the team will need to make a corresponding move.
Following practice on Tuesday, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll commented on Lucas’ development, saying, “Abe had a good week.” “We planned this week a long time ago, and he fulfilled his part, so everything is kind of on schedule.
It’s interesting to note that despite the much-needed boost that Lucas’ return will bring, the Seahawks will start their ninth different offensive line combination in 12 games in Arlington. Managing a toe injury that kept him from working out this week, Since guard Phil Haynes was ruled out on Wednesday, Anthony Bradford, a rookie, will start beside Lucas from the start.
Opposite fellow rookie Charles Cross, Lucas was chosen 72nd overall in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft and started right away for the Seahawks. The two made history by being the first rookie tackle duo to start a season opener in the league since the 1970 NFL/AFL merger, having started 16 games during the regular season together.
Though Lucas did gave up nine sacks as a rookie, he performed at a high level for Seattle protecting Geno Smith, allowing 28 total pressures in 16 starts and receiving a stellar 76.2 pass blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. He played some of his best football down the stretch, allowing two or fewer pressures in each of his final three starts, including a playoff loss to San Francisco in the wild card round.
Playing his entire collegiate career in the pass-happy Air Raid and Run N’ Shoot offensive schemes, Lucas was expected to be a run blocker, but he exceeded expectations by earning a respectable 65.1 run blocking grade from PFF, ranking 31st out of 59 tackles.
Lucas did not allow any pressure on 19 pass protection reps before leaving the Seahawks opener early in the third quarter due to knee soreness. Following his exit, the Rams began to dominate Smith and capitalized on his absence to shut out the home team in the last two quarters.
Since mid-September, Lucas has been sidelined for Seattle. In his place, Stone Forsythe, Jake Curhan, and Jason Peters have all started numerous games at right tackle, albeit with largely unsatisfactory outcomes. Right tackles have accounted for 39.8% of the opposition’s pressures on Smith since Week 2, which is the highest percentage of any qualified quarterback in the NFL.
Forsythe and Curhan, who took over for Lucas, struggled mightily in comparison to the rest of the league. Currently, they rank 81st and 82nd out of 84 qualified tackles in pass protection efficiency, with both players hovering around 94 percent. With a 94.8 percent pass efficiency rate in his first two games, Peters has only been marginally better. They have given up 11 quarterback hits, 8 sacks, and 59 quarterback pressures between the three players.
Lucas hasn’t played in over two months, so the Seahawks might gradually get him back in, substituting Peters for a few series against the Cowboys. Carroll gave no hint of coyness when asked about the possibility, but he did say he would not hesitate to keep the veteran in the mix as a platoon member.
On that one, you’ll just have to wait and see. Jason has been performing admirably. I adore it when he performs for us outside. That is not problematic for me.
