Pete Carroll Preview: How positive COVID tests impacts Seahawks-Rams

The Seahawks take on divisional rival Los Angeles this Sunday and both teams are currently dealing with positive COVID tests that are impacting preparations for both sides.

Seahawks place WR Tyler Lockett, RB Alex Collins on COVID list

The Rams have been hit especially hard and have placed 25 players on the reserve/COVID list, including All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey, receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and linebacker/pass rusher Von Miller.

The Seahawks have been more fortunate with just two players testing positive this week, but one of those two is star receiver Tyler Lockett, who leads the team in catches and receiving yards. The other player is Alex Collins, who leads the team in rushing attempts and yards in 2021.

During the latest Pete Carroll Preview on KIRO 97.3 FM’s Seattle’s Morning News, the Seahawks head coach described the role that COVID-19 is playing on the upcoming matchup with the Rams, which is a must-win for a Seattle team aiming to sneak into the playoffs with a late-season surge during his weekly talk with Steve Raible.

For the Seahawks, Lockett and Collins are just the second and third players in the organization to test positive since the start of the 2020 season.

“It does stand out how long we have lasted,” Carroll said. “And then when this latest surge that is really, really running rampant through the league in other professional leagues as well, we got tapped here. So we have to do everything we can to protect our guys in every way possible as they deserve to be protected.”

Carroll said the Seahawks went virtual with their meetings this week as a precaution.

“We were ahead of it,” he said. “We spread everybody out made sure we weren’t in the same rooms and that kind of stuff. And just like we’ve been doing the whole time, we’ve been trying to stay ahead of it and as much as possible.”

The NFL did amend some protocols when it comes to COVID testing and how players can return to action on Thursday. With Lockett and Collins, who are both vaccinated, Carroll said they won’t know their availability until Saturday.

With COVID outbreaks occurring across the league, especially with the Rams and Cleveland Browns, the topic of postponing or even canceling games has started to be discussed. Carroll made it clear that going down that route is “the last thing” the NFL wants to do.

“They want these games to go on schedule,” he said. “So they’ll do everything possible to make this play. We’ll see what happens.”

How does having multiple positive COVID tests impact preparation?

“We’ve just got to make the best of it, but we don’t have it as bad as others,” Carroll said. “So we should maybe come out OK with this thing. I would say that it does affect you, though, you know. It does affect your mentality. So we have to deal with that and put it in a good place and by the time we get to the game we have put it behind us.”

How about preparing for a team with so many players potentially unable to suit up? Does that matter?

“Not not as much as you might think,” Carroll said. “Because one, we can’t do anything about it, and we’re not sure (who will not play) either. We can’t really plan for somebody else that’s playing because we’re not sure how they’re going to do their things. We can kind of guess in some ways how it’s going to go, but like I’ve said during the week, if it was the quarterback it would be different. If it’s the key rusher or that key of a player that the team is built around, it could be different. But in general, it’s not going to affect us. We’re going to plan like they’re going to do what they normally do and see if we can go win a football game.”

Other injuries

The Seahawks had a very lengthy injury report on Thursday, but it appears that the team is in overall good shape heading into Sunday. Carroll shared some quick updates with Raible.

“It’s going to be hard to get (right tackle) Brandon Shell back out there,” Carroll said. “He’s got a shoulder that keeps bothering him, but he’ll go all the way to gameday to get that done. Homer is coming back, Travis Homer, which we’re really happy about that.”

With Shell out, it’s likely undrafted rookie Jake Curhan or sixth-round rookie Stone Forsythe starting at right tackle. Curhan started last week for the Seahawks.

Homer missed last week as he’s battling knee and calf injuries. He had a long touchdown run on a fake punt two weeks ago.

Sticking with the running back, veteran back Adrian Peterson, who is on the practice squad and thus is not listed on injury reports, “didn’t get back out there” during practice, Carroll said. Peterson played for the Seahawks two weeks ago and scored a touchdown but has been dealing with a back injury.

Rookie receiver Dee Eskridge (foot) is also likely to play.

“We’ll count on him,” Carroll said.

On defense, defensive tackle Bryan Mone is likely to be a gameday decision as well, Carroll said. He suffered a knee injury last week that knocked him out of action.

Listen to The Pete Carroll Preview at this link or in the player below.

Should Seahawks let Wilson have more of a say in personnel decisions?

Follow @TheBGustafson