All-Pro tackle Jason Peters, 41, signs with Seahawks: Why Seattle is adding veteran now

The Seattle Seahawks signed All-Pro tackle Jason Peters to their practice squad, the team announced Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know:

The Seahawks are dealing with injuries to starting tackles Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas following the team’s Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Peters spent 10 games (one start) with the Cowboys last season.
Per Stathead, Peters (41 years, 233 days) will be the oldest active player in the league by nearly two years over Aaron Rodgers (39 years, 283 days), and, if he plays, the second-oldest offensive lineman to appear in a game since at least 1950 (behind Washington’s Ray Brown at 43 years, 20 days).
Peters has built a Pro Football Hall of Fame-worthy résumé with two first-team All-Pro nods, nine trips to the Pro Bowl and one Super Bowl ring.

The Athletic’s instant analysis:

Why add Peters now?

Peters is coming at a time when Seattle may be in a bad spot at offensive tackle. Jake Curhan, in his third year after initially joining the Seahawks as an undrafted rookie from Cal, played the entire second half on Sunday in place of Lucas, who was feeling knee discomfort. Stone Forsythe, a 2021 sixth-round pick, replaced Cross late in the third quarter because of a sprained toe.

Carroll said Monday that Cross and Lucas are day to day and the Seahawks are “a little concerned” about the health of their two second-year tackles. — Dugar

What was going on with the offensive line Sunday?

Geno Smith wasn’t sacked when playing behind Cross and Lucas on Sunday. Both the sacks he took were on the final meaningful drive of the game with both Curhan and Forsythe on the field. But it’s worth noting those sacks came on second-and-17 and third-and-26. Prior to that drive, Seattle’s backup offensive line had done a decent job of giving Smith time to get rid of the ball.

After the game, Smith took the blame for Seattle’s offensive struggles and said losing Cross and Lucas wasn’t the reason the team failed to execute in the second half. — Dugar

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Backstory

Peters has played in 245 games (regular season and playoffs) and is considered one of the best undrafted players in league history. He spent his first five seasons with the Buffalo Bills (2004-2008). The Bills traded Peters to the Eagles in the 2009 offseason.

Peters played 11 seasons with the Eagles, earning a spot on the league’s All-2010 Decade team. He played for the Bears in 2021 and the Cowboys in 2022.

Required reading

(Photo: Bill Streicher / USA Today)