STACY ROST

Notebook: Good news on the injury front, plus a new challenge, for Seahawks

Oct 24, 2018, 2:58 PM | Updated: 3:18 pm

Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks, Pete Carroll...

Pete Carroll spoke with reporters Wednesday to preview the Seahawks' Week 8 matchup. (AP)

(AP)

Fresh off their Week 7 bye, the Seahawks returned to practice Wednesday with their eyes set on the Detroit Lions. The two 3-3 teams face off at 10 a.m. Sunday.

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The team had a bit of an extra workout earlier this week, after which head coach Pete Carroll announced the return of linebacker K.J. Wright (who has spent six weeks recovering from knee surgery), tight end Ed Dickson (groin) and defensive end Rasheem Green (ankle).

Wednesday brought not only Seattle’s first practice report in two weeks, but also updates on suspended linebacker Mychal Kendricks and a brief preview of the Detroit game. Here are a few quick notes from Carroll’s press conference:

Seahawks have health on their side

After a slew of injuries, Carroll said the team feels like it’s the healthiest it has been all year.

Carroll anticipates that both Dickson and Wright will be able to play Sunday. Both players got work in Monday and came out well.

“We’re just one day at a time, but I’m anticipating that (Wright) is going to play, and Ed as well,” Carroll said. “So something’s gonna have to (happen) where they don’t respond to the practice work that they’ve had (to keep them inactive). It looks like they’re ready to go.”

Dickson returns to the team after spending six weeks on the Non-Football Injury list. He had the same designation during the preseason, and thus has had limited work with Seattle.

“We haven’t had him very much,” Carroll said of the former Panthers tight end. “(But) his background is well-versed.

“In the offense they were in with Carolina, they were very creative with what they did with their tight ends and he was involved with all kinds of stuff… so all of that really gives us confidence that there’s stuff we can do that we’re looking forward to. Really he’s not practiced with us very much. This is really kind of opening up a Christmas present here, it’s kind of fun to get him going.”

Carroll also hinted at improving health for defensive end Dion Jordan, who missed Seattle’s Week 6 game against the Raiders with a knee injury.

Still no update on Kendricks

Kendricks, who spent three weeks with Seattle before being dealt an indefinite suspension due to insider trading charges, had a hearing with the league earlier this week.

Carroll said Monday he was expecting an update on Kendricks’ suspension status – likely a more definite time frame of the length of the suspension. By Wednesday afternoon, Seattle’s coach still didn’t have an update.

“I’m expecting to know more,” Carroll said. “I’m sorry I don’t have any (information). I was hoping I’d get an update yesterday and it didn’t happen. So we’ll see what happens.”

The Seahawks have swapped several players in and out of the weakside linebacker position, a spot normally held by Wright. Kendricks, Barkevious Mingo, Shaquem Griffin and Austin Calitro have all played at the spot, though Seattle will obviously have a more permanent fixture there when Wright returns.

A (really) big challenge

The Lions’ defense has struggled against the run this season (the unit is ranked 26th by ESPN), but they got a boost Wednesday afternoon with the reported acquisition of defensive tackle Damon Harrison in a trade with the New York Giants.

The 29-year-old All-Pro has 31 tackles and a forced fumble this season. At 6-feet-3 and 335-pounds, Harrison excels as a run stopper. Carroll, though, says Harrison is able to disrupt both phases of the offense.

“There’s not much you can do (to) that guy,” Carroll said. “He’s really a monster in there. Running game yes, but he also causes problem in the pass game, too. He came on our radar when he was with the Jets and he was kind of in there where there was a chance, but he had emerged too far too fast for us and we couldn’t get to him, and he wound up going to the Giants. So we have a lot of respect for him.”

Harrison wasn’t listed on the NFL’s transaction report as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, but the trade is expected to become official by Thursday.

It will be a key matchup for a Seahawks team that has thrown itself into the run over the last four weeks. The offense has averaged 157 rushing yards per game in Weeks 3-6, a drastic improvement over the 138 total rushing yards Seattle had in its first two games combined.

More Seahawks news and analysis

How will Seahawks handle Frank Clark when his contract is up?
‘Fired up’ D.J. Fluker embodies Pete Carroll’s coaching philosophy
Jake Heaps’ Film Room: The state of the Seahawks’ offense at 3-3
Clayton: Where the 3-3 Seahawks sit coming out of their bye week
Will Seahawks’ Wright or Dickson have most impact in return?

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Notebook: Good news on the injury front, plus a new challenge, for Seahawks