Report: Seahawks’ Germain Ifedi to miss time with high-ankle sprain
Sep 8, 2016, 10:00 AM | Updated: 10:24 am
Seahawks rookie right guard Germain Ifedi injured his ankle days before Seattle's regular-season opener. (AP)
(AP)
The injury that forced Seahawks rookie right guard Germain Ifedi to leave practice Wednesday is a high-ankle sprain that will sideline him for a few weeks, according to a report from the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The Seahawks have not confirmed the report.
Ifdedi’s injury deals a significant blow to the Seahawks days before their regular-season opener against Miami, a game that would have presented a difficult matchup for Seattle’s offensive line even if it was at full strength. The Dolphins’ defensive-line trio of Ndamukong Suh, Mario Williams and Cameron Wake have recorded 208 career sacks in their 23 combined 23 NFL seasons while Seattle’s offensive line was going to have three new starters and a different player in four of the five spots from last season.
One of those new players was going to be Ifedi, the Seahawks’ first-round pick who performed well enough over the offseason and into training camp to leave no doubt about his grip on the starting job at right guard. But his injury will change Seattle’s offensive-line plans for the season opener and likely beyond.
The Seahawks have options. One would be to insert rookie sixth-round pick Joey Hunt at center and move Justin Britt to right guard. Seattle could also turn to free-agent pickup J’Marcus Webb, who played guard last season for Oakland. Webb was signed to be Seattle’s starting right tackle but lost out to Garry Gilliam after Gilliam’s move back from the left side. Interestingly, Webb used the hashtag “guard” in an Instagram post Thursday morning. Rookie third-round pick Rees Odhiambo is listed as the backup at right guard, albeit on Seattle’s unofficial depth chart.
There was no word initially on the severity of Ifedi’s injury after he left Wednesday’s practice. Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell only acknowledged that Ifedi had to leave but said he didn’t see what happened. Ifedi was then listed on Seattle’s practice report as being limited due to an ankle injury.
As with any injury, the timetable for recovery from high-ankle sprains can vary depending on several factors, but it’s usually a matter of weeks. Backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, for instance, sustained one in Seattle’s first preseason game last year then missed the next three. He was active for Seattle’s season opener, which was a month after the injury. Rookie tight end Nick Vannett hasn’t practiced since sustaining a high-ankle sprain in Seattle’s second preseason game, which was on Aug. 18, and he’s been ruled out for Sunday’s opener.
