Seahawks' absurd loss to Bears started with a Grey Zabel gamble

Grey Zabel should have a bright future for the Seattle Seahawks, but what happened in Week 8 against the Chicago Bears was ugly. Zabel wasn't ready to succeed, but how could he be?

Chicago pummeled Seattle 34-17, the Seahawks' worst loss in two years, and the game didn't feel even that close. Quarterback Sam Darnold was under duress early and often, and much of that was because Zabel was starting at right guard for the first time. It showed.

The move was necessary after the team had acquired Quenton Nelson via trade after Week 7, and asking Nelson to flip to the right side after spending his excellent career on the left side would have been foolish. Zabel was a first-round pick in 2025,…