EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 1: Offensive tackle Abraham Lucas #72 of the Seattle Seahawks prepares to block during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, at MetLife Stadium on December 1, 2024 in East Rutherford … (Brooke Sutton / Getty Images)
RENTON, Wash. - The Seattle Seahawks reached a three-year contract extension with right tackle Abe Lucas worth a reported $46 million with incentives to push the max value higher.
The deal was first reported by Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network. The Seahawks announced the deal Thursday afternoon.
Lucas, 27, was about to enter the final year of his four-year rookie contract with the Seahawks. He was set to earn $3.4 million this season before becoming an unrestricted free agent next spring.
Instead, Lucas is now under contract through the 2028 season.
"I think I'm just really still trying to process everything," the ever-stoic Lucas said on Thursday. "It's a big deal. Trust me, I'm actually pretty ecstatic about it. It's been a journey and I'm just so thankful to be here."
Lucas' agency had been discussing a contract with the team over the last couple of weeks. Lucas found out on Thursday morning that it had made it to the finish line.
Lucas is just the second offensive lineman drafted by the Seahawks to sign a second contract with the team under John Schneider's tenure as general manager. Justin Britt signed an extension with the team in 2017 in the final year of his rookie contract as well.
"In my mind, it's a reflection of how much they believe in me," Lucas said. "I love this team. I love this organization. I mean, this is literally my dream coming true, the dream that I had since the time I was three years old, four years old, watching football with Dad, and so I'm just so stoked about it, and it means everything to me.
"I'm gonna to keep being the same guy, keep putting my head down and working. Same stone-faced, no emotion type of guy. But, I mean, I'm so excited about it. I'm just really happy that something was able to get done."
Lucas has fought back to full strength after a lengthy recovery from a knee injury that required surgery in 2023. He returned to action midway through last season, but described himself as still playing on a "flat tire" once the season was over.
Lucas said bluntly that his knee issue wasn't a chronic matter and that he believed it would be behind him once he was fully recovered. So far, that seems to be the case as Lucas has been a full participant throughout the offseason and training camp for Seattle.
"Night and day (different)," Lucas said. "Yeah, healthy, feeling good, ready to go. It's Week 1, not Week 11. So that's great. Yeah, I'm just looking forward to it.
"Injuries suck. They're tough to get through, but you just put your head down and keep going and I did that the best I could."
As reported, the deal is worth a touch over $15 million a season. Per OverTheCap.com, that would make Lucas the 13th-highest paid right tackle in the NFL. Even at that number, it's a pretty team-friendly number.
Lucas could have tried to play out his final year to restore his full value after two injury-plagued seasons. Theoretically, he could have seen a much larger payday next spring if he puts together a strong campaign. But Lucas chose the security of a deal now and the ability to remain with the Seahawks over the alternative.
"I'm just so thankful for the organization for having faith in me. I mean, I really think that this deal is a testament to how much they believe in me," Lucas said.
Now the focus for Lucas is to push the Seahawks forward but pushing opponents all around the field.
"The goal has always been to be as great as I could be, and anything else that comes with that is just part of the deal," Lucas said. "I've always wanted to be a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro player, and that's still what I'm going to work towards. This is just basically another tick on the box. But, you know, there's still so much more to do, so I'm looking forward to getting after that."
Lucas said earlier this offseason that running the football will not be optional for this year's team. It's an offensive mindset the team is carrying into the season and a mantra they intend to live by. Throughout the preseason, that commitment was shown to be put into action as the team had two strong preseason outing against the Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs before playing exclusively reserves in the finale against the Green Bay Packers.
"I think everybody knew that that's what it's going to be," Lucas said. "It's a softening process so you have to keep doing it in order for it to work sometimes. Other times, it works right out of the gate. Other times, you have to tap the rock until it breaks, so to speak. So excited about it."
Injury Report:
The Source: Information in this story came from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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