Seahawks take hit on O-line with both tackles ailing with injuries

Sep 14, 2023, 11:09 AM

Charles Cross of the Seattle Seahawks in action on Jan. 1, 2023. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

AP staff

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Coming off a lackluster performance in the opener, the Seattle Seahawks are likely to be down both their starting offensive tackles for Sunday’s game at Detroit.

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Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday that both left tackle Charles Cross and right tackle Abraham Lucas were “hurting,” after each suffered injuries in the Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Lucas was placed on injured reserve after Carroll talked to reporters Wednesday, meaning he will miss the next four games and be out until after Seattle’s Week 6 game at Cincinnati.

Lucas aggravated a knee injury centered around the patella, while Cross suffered a sprained big toe on his right foot early in the second half and was a spectator the rest of the way in the 30-13 loss to the Rams.

“It’s going to be hard for them,” Carroll said before the roster move with Lucas. “It’s going to be a challenge for them.”

The injuries to the two second-year players leave Seattle precariously thin at the positions. Backups Stone Forsythe (left tackle) and Jake Curhan (right tackle) stepped in after the injuries and seem to be the likely starters this week.

But the Seahawks have been busy filling in behind those two, signing 41-year-old veteran Jason Peters to the practice squad, and signed offensive linemen Raiqwon O’Neal and McClendon Curtis off the practice squads of Tampa Bay and Las Vegas, respectively.

Combined with other options on the practice squad, Seattle should have enough options to get through this week.

Peters is clearly the most notable addition even if it seems unlikely he’ll be ready for this week’s game. Peters is a two-time first-team All-Pro and a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, but most of his accolades came nearly a decade ago with Philadelphia. Peters appeared in 10 games and made one start last season for Dallas and the prior season started 15 games for Chicago.

Peters was at home in Texas when the Seahawks reached out Sunday night and started the process of bringing him to Seattle.

“Out of the blue surprise. It might have been someone else. I could have still been home watching football,” Peters said.

While Peters is likely to help down the road, Curhan and Forsythe are the presumptive starters for this week. Curhan started five games at right tackle in 2021, his rookie season. Forsythe made one start last season, also at right tackle, in a game that Lucas missed.

“It’s always tough to get thrown in there in the middle of the game, first game of the season too,” Curhan said. “So things happen, but I’m confident in my abilities and like I said, it’s a different situation going into a game if you know you’re getting the whole thing versus if you think you got to pop in at a couple of different positions.”

One player the Seahawks expect to have is rookie first-round pick Devon Witherspoon after the young cornerback missed the opener while still recovering from a hamstring injury suffered early in training camp. Witherspoon is expected to be a full participant in practice this week with the intent on playing Sunday, Carroll said.

Witherspoon was taken with the No. 5 overall pick, instantly placing big expectations on his shoulders.

Dealing with hamstring problems that first popped up during workouts in the spring and continued into training camp has been a test of his patience, he said.

“It’s been frustrating. It’s been bothering me how long it’s been going on. But I’ve just been trusting the process,” Witherspoon said.