Notebook: Pete Carroll stresses importance of discipline, fitness as Seahawks enter break

As far as Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll is concerned, the next six weeks of the offseason will be the difference between wins and losses during the regular season.

“This is an extraordinarily competitive time,” Carroll said of his message to players ahead of the upcoming break. “So many things can happen. Guys can go south on you, they can get better, changes can occur right now, and we’re really trying to be focused about. We’ve helped them create a plan for their offseason to make sure that they’re coordinated, organized, and they’ll max this out. One of the big issues — I think this is a big issue that the league just has to live with — is that when you take breaks, you become more vulnerable to getting hurt when you come back. Because the adaptation (to the offseason break) doesn’t always match up to the action of an NFL training camp. So we’re real concerned about that.”

Safety Bradley McDougald talks Seahawks’ rookie DBs

From the close of today’s minicamp to the final week of July, coaches are not permitted to instruct or train players to prepare them for the upcoming season.

“If these guys get back here and they are like they were, we’re going to be fine,” Carroll said. “A lot can happen now. We have a lot of guys working out in different areas and they know where everyone is, and I’m hoping that they’ll feed off one another and put forth a great six weeks. There’s no reason every one of these guys shouldn’t come back in the best condition of their life. This is the only season they have in their life, and they should do everything they can to do that. That has been the message, and so they’ve been challenged to make the most of this.”

Three Seahawks expected to make late return

Defensive end Ziggy Ansah (shoulder), second-year tight end Will Dissly (knee), and undrafted rookie offensive lineman Demetrius Knox are facing the longest timelines in their offseason recovery from injury. All other injured players — including safeties Bradley McDougald (knee) and Marquise Blair (hamstring) — are expected to return at the start of training camp.

In other injury-related news, Carroll said the team held running back C.J. Prosise out of 11-on-11s after the fourth-year pro felt tightness in his hamstring. The move was a precautionary measure, and for now the injury doesn’t sound serious; Prosise was still participating in drills.

Carroll says C.J. Prosise felt his hamstring tighten a bit, so was held out as a precautionary measure. Doesn’t sound serious — and he was still taking part in drills. Prosise has otherwise been part of every practice, which is good news for a player battling his injury history. pic.twitter.com/EQMkvcBxMK

— Stacy Jo Rost (@StacyRost) June 13, 2019

Finally, wide receiver Gary Jennings participated for a second consecutive day. It’s a promising development for the rookie out of West Virginia, who missed rookie camp and OTAs with a hamstring injury.

A couple WR drills earlier today. D.K. Metcalf stole the show in rookie camp and OTAs, but Seahawks have to like the fact that rookie Gary Jennings (#11) was back out there on back-to-back days after sitting out with a hamstring injury. pic.twitter.com/HYCiLzRVpl

— Stacy Jo Rost (@StacyRost) June 13, 2019

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