Quenton Nelson Set for Knee Surgery After Seahawks Trade

Quenton Nelson is preparing for a minor knee procedure after arriving in Seattle with the Seahawks on October 27. Head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters on Friday that the 30-year-old offensive tackle is currently sidelined and will not play in Sunday's matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.

The team decided to keep Nelson active rather than placing him on injured reserve. Macdonald explained that current medical timelines support this decision. "There’s a timeline right now that warrants not IR, so that’s what we’re going to do," Macdonald said. He described Nelson's status as week-to-week.

Nelson has started only one game for Seattle since the trade. Macdonald noted that the player was experiencing knee issues when he left Indianapolis, and those symptoms worsened during the following days. Medical re-imaging showed the condition had aggravated. "We re-imaged it, and it was aggravated to some degree," Macdonald said. "So we’ve kind of done the due diligence, and everybody agrees it’s best to take care of it now and play the long game."

The Indianapolis Colts sent Nelson to Seattle in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. This move occurred during a series of transactions following the Colts' difficult start to the 2026 season. The trade came one week after the team fired general manager Chris Ballard.

Nelson, a New Jersey native drafted with the No. 6 pick in 2018, expressed his fondness for Indianapolis before the move. Speaking on October 21, he said, "I love it here. I met my wife here. I really appreciate and love this organization." He added that he valued the friendships and bonds formed during his long career with the team.