Seahawks Inactives: RT Shell Out, DE Dunlap to return in limited capacity

The Seahawks will get one key lineman back against the Washington Football Team, but will be without another on the other side of the ball in Week 15.

Seahawks officially activate RB Rashaad Penny for Week 15

Starting defensive end Carlos Dunlap, who the Seahawks acquired from the Cincinnati Bengals ahead of the trade deadline, is active against Washington after missing last week’s win over the New York Jets due to a foot injury. He was listed as questionable to play.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Dunlap will be a “situational pass rusher” in Week 15.

#Seahawks DE Carlos Dunlap will be active today. Expect a limited role. More of a situational pass rusher.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) December 20, 2020

Dunlap injured his foot in a Week 12 win over the Philadelphia Eagles and played in a limited role against the New York Giants a week later before being held out the next week against the Jets.

Shell being out is a big blow for the Seahawks as Washington has one of the best defensive lines in the league, which features five former first-round picks. That group has Washington tied for fourth in the NFL in sacks entering Week 15 with 40. Shell injured his ankle against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11 and missed the next two games before returning last week against the Jets, but he left that game due to the sore ankle. He was listed as questionable to play.

With Shell out, Cedric Ogbuehi will get the start after missing the last two weeks with a calf injury. It will be his second start of the season.

Joining Shell on the Seahawks’ five-man inactives list are safety Damarious Randall, guard Phil Haynes, receiver Penny Hart and defensive end Jonathan Bullard. Haynes was ruled out Friday with a groin injury and Randall was questionable with a foot injury. Hart and Bullard are healthy scratches.

Sunday’s game in Washington also marks the return of 2018 first-round pick Rashaad Penny.

Penny, a running back, hasn’t played since Week 14 of last year after tearing his ACL in a loss to the Los Angeles Rams. That was after two games in a row where he’d surpassed 100 total yards with three touchdowns. For his career, Penny has 789 rushing yards, six total touchdowns and an average of 5.3 yards per carry. It remains to be seen how much he will play right off the bat and whether or not he will surpass Carlos Hyde as Chris Carson’s immediate backup at any point in 2020.

Penny’s return gives the Seahawks a complete 180 at running back depth compared to the end of last year. The Seahawks currently have four healthy running backs on the 53-man roster, plus a running back on the practice squad. Penny, Carson and C.J. Prosise all got hurt at the end of 2019, prompting the returns of Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin for Week 17 and two playoff games.

Washington currently leads the NFC East and has won four games in a row, but it’s important the Seahawks are healthy for their next game is against the Los Angeles Rams. That divisional matchup likely will determine who wins the NFC West.

For Washington, starting quarterback Alex Smith is inactive with a leg injury. He was ruled out Friday. Starting will be 2019 first-round pick Dwayne Haskins, who opened 2020 as the starter before being benched after four games.

Washington will also be without rookie running back Antonio Gibson, who has rushed for 659 yards and 11 touchdowns, due to a toe injury. The linebacking group will also look different, as starters Kevin Pierre-Louis, a former Seahawk, and Cole Holcomb are out with injuries as well. Pierre-Louis has an ankle injury and Holcomb has a concussion. See Washington’s full inactives list here.

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Heaps’ two matchups to watch between the Seahawks and Washington

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