SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Seahawks Inactives: RT Shell Out, DE Dunlap to return in limited capacity

Dec 20, 2020, 9:00 AM | Updated: 9:09 am

Seahawks DE Carlos Dunlap...

Seahawks DE Carlos Dunlap will play in a limited role against Washington in Week 15. (Getty)

(Getty)

The Seahawks will get one key lineman back against the Washington Football Team, but will be without another on the other side of the ball in Week 15.

Seahawks officially activate RB Rashaad Penny for Week 15

Starting defensive end Carlos Dunlap, who the Seahawks acquired from the Cincinnati Bengals ahead of the trade deadline, is active against Washington after missing last week’s win over the New York Jets due to a foot injury. He was listed as questionable to play.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Dunlap will be a “situational pass rusher” in Week 15.

Dunlap injured his foot in a Week 12 win over the Philadelphia Eagles and played in a limited role against the New York Giants a week later before being held out the next week against the Jets.

Shell being out is a big blow for the Seahawks as Washington has one of the best defensive lines in the league, which features five former first-round picks. That group has Washington tied for fourth in the NFL in sacks entering Week 15 with 40. Shell injured his ankle against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11 and missed the next two games before returning last week against the Jets, but he left that game due to the sore ankle. He was listed as questionable to play.

With Shell out, Cedric Ogbuehi will get the start after missing the last two weeks with a calf injury. It will be his second start of the season.

Joining Shell on the Seahawks’ five-man inactives list are safety Damarious Randall, guard Phil Haynes, receiver Penny Hart and defensive end Jonathan Bullard. Haynes was ruled out Friday with a groin injury and Randall was questionable with a foot injury. Hart and Bullard are healthy scratches.

Sunday’s game in Washington also marks the return of 2018 first-round pick Rashaad Penny.

Penny, a running back, hasn’t played since Week 14 of last year after tearing his ACL in a loss to the Los Angeles Rams. That was after two games in a row where he’d surpassed 100 total yards with three touchdowns. For his career, Penny has 789 rushing yards, six total touchdowns and an average of 5.3 yards per carry. It remains to be seen how much he will play right off the bat and whether or not he will surpass Carlos Hyde as Chris Carson’s immediate backup at any point in 2020.

Penny’s return gives the Seahawks a complete 180 at running back depth compared to the end of last year. The Seahawks currently have four healthy running backs on the 53-man roster, plus a running back on the practice squad. Penny, Carson and C.J. Prosise all got hurt at the end of 2019, prompting the returns of Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin for Week 17 and two playoff games.

Washington currently leads the NFC East and has won four games in a row, but it’s important the Seahawks are healthy for their next game is against the Los Angeles Rams. That divisional matchup likely will determine who wins the NFC West.

For Washington, starting quarterback Alex Smith is inactive with a leg injury. He was ruled out Friday. Starting will be 2019 first-round pick Dwayne Haskins, who opened 2020 as the starter before being benched after four games.

Washington will also be without rookie running back Antonio Gibson, who has rushed for 659 yards and 11 touchdowns, due to a toe injury. The linebacking group will also look different, as starters Kevin Pierre-Louis, a former Seahawk, and Cole Holcomb are out with injuries as well. Pierre-Louis has an ankle injury and Holcomb has a concussion. See Washington’s full inactives list here.

Follow Brandon Gustafson on Twitter.

Heaps’ two matchups to watch between the Seahawks and Washington

Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks NFL Draft Payton Wilson...

Brandon Gustafson

Brock’s Seahawks Draft Profile: ‘Twitched up’ LB fills a need

Next up in Brock Huard's Seattle Seahawks draft profiles is a very intriguing defender in North Carolina State linebacker Payton Wilson.

18 hours ago

Seattle Seahawks Sam Howell...

Brandon Gustafson

New Seahawks QB Sam Howell describes trade, his role and more

The Seattle Seahawks have a new QB in Sam Howell, and he joined Brock & Salk on Wednesday to describe the trade that sent him to the Hawks.

20 hours ago

Seattle Seahawks QB Geno Smith quarterback...

Stacy Rost

Are Seahawks really not Super Bowl contenders because of QB?

FOX Sports' Joel Klatt said the Seattle Seahawks "don't have the requisite quarterback play" to be a Super Bowl contender. Is he right?

22 hours ago

Seattle Seahawks draft profile Bralen Trice UW Huskies...

Brent Stecker

Brock’s Seahawks Draft Profile: Pros, cons of UW DE Bralen Trice

For Day 2 of Brock Huard's Seattle Seahawks draft profiles, the former UW Huskies quarterback when with a name from his alma mater: defensive end Bralen Trice.

2 days ago

Seattle Seahawks Geno Smith...

Brandon Gustafson

FOX Sports’ Klatt: Seahawks’ quarterbacks ‘are not the answer’

"They don't have the requisite quarterback play to do that," FOX's Joel Klatt said of the Seattle Seahawks being a Super Bowl contender.

2 days ago

Seattle Seahawks draft profiles Theo Johnson Penn State TE...

Brent Stecker

Brock Huard’s Seahawks Draft Profiles: Penn St’s eye-opening TE

Brock Huard is back with another year of Seattle Seahawks draft profiles. Kicking off the list for 2024 is Penn State tight end Theo Johnson.

3 days ago

Seahawks Inactives: RT Shell Out, DE Dunlap to return in limited capacity