Seahawks injuries: CB starters out, Hyde back, Lockett expected to play
Nov 18, 2020, 1:52 PM | Updated: Nov 28, 2020, 7:31 pm
Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett is questionable for Week 11 but Pete Carroll expects him to play. (Getty)
(Getty)
Once again, the Seahawks will be without their two starting cornerbacks as well as their starting center, but Seattle will get at least one of its top running backs back and likely won’t be without a top receiver when the team hosts the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday Night Football.
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Cornerbacks Shaquill Griffin (hamstring) and Quinton Dunbar (knee) were each ruled out on Wednesday. (Update: Dunbar was placed on injured reserved Thursday. Click here for details.) For Griffin, it’s the third straight game he’ll miss and it’s the second in a row for Dunbar. Tre Flowers and D.J. Reed will likely start in their place.
Ethan Pocic is out again with a concussion. During his press conference Wednesday, head coach Pete Carroll said Pocic is doing better, but the short week hurt his chances of playing. His backup, Kyle Fuller, is officially listed as questionable with an ankle injury, but Carroll sounded optimistic that he would play.
“Kyle, he’s going to be ready to go in the game. We’ll see how good he is on gameday, but he went through all of the prep on the side, we rested him all week on the short week and he did a really nice job for the first time out, so he will be ready if we need him,” he said.
Also ruled out are backup guard Jordan Simmons with a calf injury and cornerback Neiko Thorpe with aa hip/core injury. Thorpe was later moved to injured reserve for the second time this season and second-year guard Phil Haynes was activated from IR. That timing is good for Seattle with Simmons out at guard and with Fuller banged up at center.
“Phil’s been playing guard for us and he can play center also,” Carroll said. “He’s kind of a utility guy as he works his way back in. He’s had a good return. We’re really excited for him. He’s been out for quite a while with last year as well at times … He’s ready to jump in there if we need him.”
The Seahawks got good news with their running backs as well, as Carlos Hyde (hamstring) does not carry an injury designation heading into Thursday’s contest while Chris Carson (foot) is listed as questionable. Carroll made it sound like there’s a good chance both backs return after missing three games in a row.
“They did make it through the week and Carlos looked strong throughout,” he said. “Chris, we’re going to wait until tomorrow to figure out what we’re doing with it, but he did practice and looked good in all the stuff that he did. We’re real close with Chris and feel really good that Carlos will be out there.”
Second-year running back Travis Homer, however, is doubtful with knee and thumb injuries.
“He’s pretty sore and the short week didn’t help him at all,” Carroll said. “… He’s doubtful right now and it’d be hard for him to get out there.”
Perhaps the biggest surprise on Seattle’s injury report this week was star receiver Tyler Lockett, who was listed as a projected non-participant Monday and who didn’t practice on Tuesday due to a knee injury. That changed Wednesday and Carroll doesn’t think his team will be without Lockett, who had 200 yards and three touchdowns the last time the Seahawks and Cardinals faced off.
“He worked well today. He looked fine. I don’t think there’s any doubt that he’s playing,” Carroll said. “He just looked too good on the practice field today.”
Carroll did add that they would need to see how Lockett feels after practicing Wednesday, but that Lockett felt so good that coaches had to limit the work he did, which was a good sign.
Seattle also got good news on defense as defensive end Benson Mayowa doesn’t carry an injury designation and will be back after missing two games in a row with a hamstring injury.
Mayowa has two sacks this season and pairing him with recently-acquired defensive end Carlos Dunlap and safety Jamal Adams could be big for the Seahawks’ pass rush. When Seattle played the Cardinals in Week 7, Adams was out and Dunlap was still with the Bengals and the Seahawks had just one pressure and no sacks or QB hits while Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray had 48 passing attempts.
There was also an update on third-year running back Rashaad Penny and rookie defensive end Darrell Taylor. Both those players are on the physically unable to perform list and are awaiting an official return to practice with the hopes of playing this season. Penny tore his ACL late last year while Taylor is recovering from surgery on his shin.
“We’re getting to the verge of those guys getting back now. Both guys they’re running hard, they’re working hard, they’re wearing out our trainers,” Carroll said. “They just kind of have to close in right now, close in on being absolutely ready to do football movements and football reactions and things like that … It’s really been week-to-week as we’ve evaluated it, but these guys are ready to go, so we’re a week away or two weeks away probably from something happening here with these guys. I’d love to see those guys come back and be part of next week possibly.”
Watch/listen to Carroll’s full press conference on the Seahawks’ official YouTube page.
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