Seahawks inactives: 4 in the secondary out, Chris Carson to play

Oct 4, 2020, 9:07 AM | Updated: 9:31 am

Seahawks RB Chris Carson will play against Miami after suffering a knee injury in Week 3. (Getty)

(Getty)

Seattle Sports

The 3-0 Seahawks’ depth on defense will be tested in Miami as two starters in the secondary, a starting linebacker, and two reserve defensive backs are all inactive for a Week 4 showdown with the 1-2 Dolphins.

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All-Pro safety Jamal Adams and starting outside cornerback Quinton Dunbar were officially ruled out on Friday, as was 2020 first-round linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who made his first career start in Week 3 before leaving the game with a knee injury. Dunbar is out for the second week in a row due to a knee injury. Adams will miss his first game of the year with a groin strain that caused him to leave Week 3’s game and not return.

Joining those three on Seattle’s inactives list are backup safety Lano Hill, backup cornerback Neiko Thorpe, backup running back Carlos Hyde and backup interior offensive lineman Kyle Fuller, who is a healthy scratch. Hill, Thorpe and Hyde were all questionable to play entering the weekend.

Today’s @Seahawks inactives: pic.twitter.com/OKSMRIHQef

— Seahawks PR (@seahawksPR) October 4, 2020

Starting running back Chris Carson, who left Week 3 with a knee injury on what many have called a dirty play by a Dallas defender, is active, as is starting right guard Damien Lewis, who left Week 3 with an ankle injury, and starting cornerback Shaquill Griffin, who was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday with a shoulder injury. All three were listed as questionable to play.

Hill missed Week 3 with a back injury that really started bugging him over that weekend. He was a limited participant on Wednesday but didn’t practice Thursday or Friday.

Seattle’s safety depth has taken a huge hit for this week with Hill and Adams out at strong safety, so Ryan Neal, who the Seahawks promoted from the practice squad for Week 3 and added to the 53-man roster this last week, is expected to get the start alongside veteran free safety Quandre Diggs. Thorpe, who is dealing with a hip injury, is also out for the second week in a row.

To help with the banged-up secondary, the Seahawks added safety Damarious Randall and undrafted rookie cornerback Gavin Heslop from the practice squad to the gameday roster for Week 4. Randall has been in the league since 2015 and has played in 65 games, including 56 starts. He was a cornerback for Green Bay from 2015 to 2017 before playing safety for Cleveland the last two seasons, starting in 26 games for the Browns.

With Brooks out at linebacker, the Seahawks will likely turn to second-year player Cody Barton, who started at strongside linebacker late last year. Brooks was starting in place of Bruce Irvin, who is out for the season with a torn ACL. The Seahawks also have Shaquem Griffin, who played a bit last week late in the game both at linebacker and defensive end. He was promoted from the practice squad for gameday in Week 3 and was added to Seattle’s active 53-man roster on Friday.

Hyde being out is a bit of a surprise, as it was thought early in the week that he may start if Carson was out. Instead, it’s the other way around, and Hyde, who was a limited participant in practice all week with a shoulder injury, will miss his first game of the year. Second-year back Travis Homer and rookie DeeJay Dallas will be Carson’s backups in Miami, which is where both Homer and Dallas played college ball.

For the Dolphins, the biggest news is they will be without starting cornerback Byron Jones. He was doubtful to play with a groin and Achilles injury. Jones signed a five-year deal worth $82.5 million with Miami in free agency, which at the time was the largest contract ever given to a cornerback in NFL history. Jones had previously played for the Dallas Cowboys.

The rest of Miami’s inactives are backups. The full list can be seen below.