Seahawks personnel updates: Marshawn Lynch one step closer to his return

RENTON – Marshawn Lynch is back with the Seahawks.

Whether or not he’ll return to Seattle’s backfield for the team’s playoff opener will depend on how he fares in what will be his first week of practice since undergoing abdominal surgery in November, which sidelined him for the final seven regular-season games.

Coach Pete Carroll expressed confidence that Lynch will be available for next weekend’s wild-card game against Minnesota, but he didn’t commit to it.

“We hope so,” Carroll said. “We’ll see what happens.”

Lynch is back at the Seahawks’ practice facility after working out with trainers in San Francisco for the last three weeks as he continued his rehab from surgery on Nov. 25, which repaired an issue related to a sports hernia. Carroll said Lynch is working out Monday and Tuesday and that the team hopes he’ll be able to participate to some degree when the team holds its first practice of the week on Wednesday.

Carroll was asked what Lynch will need to show this week considering how the intensity of practices – during which the Seahawks don’t tackle – won’t be anything like that of a game.

“We’ve been around him for such a long time, we’re going to be able to recognize those moves,” Carroll said. “That’s all we want to see – him getting in and out of breaks, things he always can do, withstand the workload and all that. It isn’t a rigorous time for practice. The running backs do run full speed. We’ll get to see him move.”

He had a chance to return last week, but Carroll said he was still experiencing discomfort and wasn’t able to work out on consecutive days without any issues.

“He feels good now; that’s why he’s back,” Carroll said. “He wouldn’t be here if he didn’t feel like he could go. He’s ready to rock. We’ll just have to find out what it looks like. I really think it’s going to be just fine. I’m not really worried about it at all.”

Lynch last played Nov. 15 against Arizona. Since then, the Seahawks have used a rotating cast of tailbacks in his absence with varying degrees of success. Thomas Rawls flourished before going down with a season-ending ankle fracture. DuJuan Harris got a brief chance before the Seahawks turned to the combination of Christine Michael and Bryce Brown, who have given them solid production in two of the last three games.

What does Lynch’s return mean to the Seahawks?

“He’s an extraordinary member of this team; he always has been,” Carroll said. “He’s been a lead dog for a long time in this program about carrying the football and being tough and physical and stepping up when you have to. He’s never been anything but that. So the fact we get a guy like that coming back to us is a great boost. He’ll add to everybody’s confidence and he’s fun to have around and all that. It should work out great.

“That said, I hope he can play this week, I hope it works out.”

Notes

• Carroll seemed encouraged by the progress that right guard J.R. Sweezy and tight end Luke Willson are making as they recover from concussions that kept both players out of Sunday’s game. But he said the team won’t know more about their statuses until Wednesday.

• Carroll didn’t have any further update on cornerback Jeremy Lane’s oblique injury but said “there’s a chance he’ll be OK.” Carroll added: “We have a pretty optimistic outlook on most everybody coming back. We’ll see how that works out.”