Notes, observations and video from Day 1 of Seahawks training camp
Jul 30, 2017, 5:07 PM | Updated: 5:08 pm
An up-close look at one of the DL drills. pic.twitter.com/QtaJLE7g4i
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) July 30, 2017
RENTON – The Seahawks held their first practice of training camp on Sunday. Here are some personnel notes, observations and video:
• Lockett starts on PUP. Wide receiver Tyler Lockett was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list and therefore didn’t practice Sunday, no surprise given that he’s recovering from a badly broken leg in December. Carroll said Lockett didn’t pass his physical but that his stay on PUP should be a short one. He’ll be eligible to practice as soon as he comes off. Only players who begin training camp on active/PUP are eligible for reserve/PUP in the regular season. So by placing Lockett on PUP now, even if it’s only for a few days, the Seahawks are preserving the right to shelve him on regular-season PUP in the event that he suffers a setback in his recovery.
• Shead also on PUP. Cornerback DeShawn Shead is also on PUP, as expected. Shead is recovering from reconstructive knee surgery after tearing his ACL in the playoffs last year, so his availability for the start of the season remains in serious doubt. Carroll said he had a minor cleanup procedure on the knee recently: “He cleaned up something he needed done and he is really excited about the change that has taken place. Just a little cartilage thing in his knee. He is thrilled about it and we should expect to see really good progress made after that.” Asked if the procedure will push back Shead’s recovery, Carroll said: “No, I think that it’s going to accelerate it actually. It’s going to help us.” Rookie offensive lineman Justin Senior, a sixth-round pick, is also on PUP. Defensive end Dion Jordan is on the Non-Football Injury list. He didn’t practice much during the offseason program because of what Carroll said at the time was a preexisting knee injury that required surgery. Players on PUP and NFI count against the team’s 90-man offseason roster limit. Running back C.J. Prosise was absent Sunday because of an illness, according to Carroll. He said Prosise “came in sick as a dog today. Stomach flu. Good shape, ready to go and then he just wound up sick in the morning.” Rookie defensive lineman Malik McDowell was absent due to an off-field injury, which you can read about here.
• Thomas practices without limitation. Free safety Earl Thomas practiced without any apparent limitations Sunday, as he told The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta he would. Thomas is also coming off a broken leg in December, specifically a cracked tibia than ended his season. He and strong safety Kam Chancellor (ankle surgery) were limited at times during the offseason program but both are healthy now as is the rest of Seattle’s first-team defense. Linebacker Michael Wilhoite practiced Sunday after missing time earlier in the offseason with a quad injury. He’s a candidate to start at strong-side linebacker along with Terence Garvin, another free-agent pickup this offseason. They split time there Sunday.
Here was Richard Sherman playing some air bass to Red Hot Chili Peppers, and then air one-on-one with Bobby Wagner: pic.twitter.com/94ap3lllwY
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) July 30, 2017
• Lane, Thorpe first up at RCB. It looks like Jeremy Lane and Neiko Thorpe are getting the first shot at the right cornerback job opposite Richard Sherman. That job has been manned by Shead the last season and a half, but it’s open for the time being with Shead out. On Sunday, Lane worked at right cornerback in base defense. Thorpe played there in nickel with Lane moving inside to man the slot, the primary job he’s held the last few seasons. Rookie third-round pick Shaquill Griffin is a candidate for the right cornerback job, but it looks like the veterans are getting the first look.
• Blair watch. I wrote last month and repeated on 710 ESPN Seattle last week that kicker is the Seahawks’ biggest roster concern, in my view. That was my belief after watching Blair Walsh struggle with his accuracy during organized team activities and minicamp. Walsh missed wide on two of the four kicks he attempted in the team portion of practice on Sunday (I couldn’t tell the exact distances but the kicks appeared to be between 30 and 45 yards). As previously mentioned, context is key here. It’s one thing for a kicker with a consistent track record to miss a few kicks in practice. But when it’s a trend, and when it involves a kicker with a shaky history like Walsh, then it’s more troubling.