Grey Zabel heads into his second NFL season with a different kind of confidence, and for the Seahawks that could matter a lot. After a rookie year that ended with a Super Bowl ring and a starting job at left guard, the former first-round pick out of North Dakota State is no longer trying to survive the speed of the league. He says he can actually work on getting better now.
"I'm not just absolutely swimming, trying to keep my head above water like I was last year," Zabel told reporters.
That change in mindset is the big storyline around Zabel as he enters year 2. He said he has a better handle on the rhythm of the NFL now, from the tempo of practice to the pace of the game itself.
"I just kind of understand the tempo, the pace, the practice a little bit better. Then you get a feel for how fast the NFL moves and what to expect. So this year, it's not about staying alive or keeping your head above water, it's kind of the excelling part of getting better, continuing to work on your craft, and hone in as you're going against some of the best D-linemen and defense in the entire league."
That growth won’t come in a vacuum. Zabel is set to spend training camp facing what is described as arguably the best defensive line in the league, a daily test that should sharpen him before Sundays arrive. It won’t be easy work, but it should leave him better prepared for the fall.
He’s also gone back through the film from his rookie season and is working with the coaching staff on what needs to change. Zabel said the review has been honest, with plenty to build on and plenty to fix.
"You look back at the rookie tape and really take a deep dive," Zabel told reporters. "For the good stuff you did do, there's a lot of really bad stuff that you've got to clean up and learn from and continue to grow and get better.
"The coolest part is you just continue to show up day after day and put in good work and play football. We have good enough coaches here on staff that it allows you to grow and get better and continue to hone in. That's just a testament to the staff that we have and the operations that we have out here in Seattle."
Even with a Super Bowl title in hand, Seattle’s offensive line still carries the feel of the team’s biggest question mark. The rest of the roster is strong enough that the line stands out more, and its development could end up shaping how far the Seahawks go this season.
Last year’s group finished in the middle of the pack league-wide, so the push for improvement has to continue. Zabel, as the player at the center of it, is where that starts.
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