Seahawks Sign Former Saints O-Lineman to Practice Squad
Shane Lemieux started four games at center for the New Orleans Saints in 2024 and thus has familiarity with Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. Credit: Shane Lemieux/Instagram
Set to face off against their former team on Sunday when the New Orleans Saints come to Lumen Field, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and offensive line coach John Benton have reunited with a former pupil just in time for the Week 3 matchup.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Seahawks have signed veteran guard/center Shane Lemieux to the practice squad. With the team currently at the 16-man limit, a corresponding move will need to be made, but the team has yet to announce the signing officially.
A local product who played prep ball at West Valley High School in Yakima, the 28-year old Lemieux committed to Oregon in 2015 and after redshirting as a freshman, he jumped into the starting lineup for the Ducks at left guard. Over the next four seasons, he started 52 games and logged 3,536 snaps at the left guard position, garnering All-Pac 12 honors in 2018 and 2019 as well as Second-Team All-American honors as a senior in 2019.
After a stellar collegiate career, the Giants drafted the 6-4, 310-pound Lemieux in the fifth round in the 2020 NFL Draft, and he wound up starting nine games as a rookie replacing veteran Will Hernandez in the lineup, allowing five sacks and 25 pressures. He battled injuries over the next three seasons, missing all but one game in 2021 due to undergoing knee surgery, landing on injured reserve twice in 2022 with a recurring toe issue, and missing most of the 2023 season after tearing his biceps in practice.
Coming off of a litany of injuries, Lemieux signed with the Saints prior to the 2024 season and after a brief stint on the practice squad, he started four games and played in six games total as a center replacing starter Erik McCoy in Kubiak’s offense. On 337 total snaps, he allowed 12 pressures and a sack in pass protection while receiving an average 58.8 run blocking grade from Pro Football Focus, receiving a new contract after the season before being waived in late August.
Currently, the Seahawks have three healthy guards on their active roster with first round pick Grey Zabel and Anthony Bradford as the starters and and sixth round pick Bryce Cabeldue as the primary backup. Starting center Jalen Sundell also has guard experience and according to coach Mike Macdonald, he would be first in line to replace Zabel or Bradford if any injuries happened with Olu Oluwatimi subbing in at the pivot position.
Seattle also will be able to activate second-year guard Christian Haynes, who suffered a pectoral injury late in training camp, from injured reserve after a Week 4 road game against Arizona on Thursday Night Football. But he will remain out for at least the next two weeks, leaving the team relatively thin depth-wise at the position. Well-versed in Kubiak’s offense both as a center and a guard, Lemieux provides another insurance policy along with Sataoa Laumea on the practice squad.
While it’s likely not a big deal and may not be a factor in his signing at all, the fact Lemieux spent training camp with the Saints this summer may also allow him to give a bit of additional insight on coach Kellen Moore’s offense prior to Sunday’s contest.
