Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright will return to practice this week after a concussion kept him sidelined in Week 15, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters Wednesday.

Wyman’s Football 101: What’s wrong with the Seahawks run defense

Linebacker Bobby Wagner did not participate in practice Wednesday or Thursday, but Carroll sounded optimistic that he would once again be able to play Sunday. Wagner was able to play last week with a hamstring injury but missed several days worth of work leading up to the game.

“It feels good to have those guys out there,” Carroll said. “Those guys have been just stalwarts for us for a long time.”

The Seahawks will need a boost in run defense as they prepare to face a Cowboys offense led by tailback Ezekiel Elliott just one week after they surrendered 244 yards on the ground in a 42-7 loss to the Rams. It was the most rushing yards gained by any Seahawks’ opponent since 2010.

“He’s going at the practice tempo that we’re going at,” Carroll said, when asked whether Wagner would be limited. “He did the walkthrough just now. We’ll see how he can do this afternoon.”

The Seahawks won’t just need help from returning veterans to make a push back into the playoffs – they’ll also need losses from at least one NFC South team, and possibly the Detroit Lions (more on those playoff scenarios here). Still, any chance at the postseason will be extinguished with a loss in Dallas.

“We’re grinding right now,” Carroll said. “We’ve got to grind our way back into a win.”

Other injury updates:

• Carroll said DE Michael Bennett has been dealing with several ongoing injuries and will once again miss some practice time this week. He added that Bennett is still expected to play against the Cowboys. “He is holding up. He’s dealing with issues every week that are keeping him from practicing on a regular basis. He’s not been able to – I just was with him on the way out here, and again, he’s not going to be able to go this afternoon. He can go through the walkthroughs, but he can’t go. And he’s got a little swollen knee that just continues to pester him. … He’s played a lot this year and he’s handled it well.”

• RB Chris Carson (ankle) will not return to practice Wednesday. Carroll said they’re going day-to-day with him and will see if he can go Thursday.

• CB DeShawn Shead (knee) enters his third and final week of practice before the Seahawks must make a decision on whether or not to activate him or place him on injured reserve: “This is a big week for him. This is his chance to get back to full speed. His heart and his mind is there, and he’s working hard in practice, he’s able to practice with us, he’s just got to get back to full tempo and make sure that he’s safe in that and solidly back. It’s been a long haul for him. He’s done everything. … We’re just going day-to-day with him, and we’ll keep watching it.”

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