Seahawks rule out 2 key players for Sunday’s game vs Rams

Nov 1, 2024, 1:33 PM | Updated: 3:02 pm

Seattle Seahawks DK Metcalf preseason game 2024...

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf looks on during a 2024 preseason game. (Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

(Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images)

Seattle Sports

The Seattle Seahawks will be without two key offensive players for Sunday’s NFC West clash against the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field.

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Seattle ruled out star wide receiver DK Metcalf (knee) and tight end Noah Fant (groin) on Friday’s injury report. The Seahawks also listed inside linebacker Ernest Jones IV (neck) as questionable and ruled out nose tackle Cameron Young (knee).

One piece of good news: Veteran right tackle George Fant (knee) was a full participant in Friday’s practice, which could indicate he’s on track to return from a Week 1 knee injury that landed him on injured reserve.

Metcalf will miss a second straight game after spraining his MCL while trying to make a leaping sideline catch against Atlanta on Oct. 20. Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters on Wednesday he was optimistic about Metcalf’s chances of playing on Sunday, but the 6-foot-4, 235-pound wideout has yet to return to practice.

Prior to the injury, Metcalf had only missed one game in his six-year career. That was a Week 6 contest against Arizona last season, when he was sidelined with rib and hip injuries.

“(He) just needs more time,” Macdonald said during Friday’s media availability. “It’s nothing that he could have done differently. It’s just (that) we need more time for him, so that’s what’s best for him and the team.”

Metcalf currently ranks eighth in the NFL in receiving yardage this season, despite missing last Sunday’s game against Buffalo. Through seven games, he had been on pace for a career year with 35 catches for 568 yards and three touchdowns.

After their matchup against the Rams on Sunday, the Seahawks have a bye week before traveling to face San Francisco on Nov. 17. Could Metcalf return by then?

“I would say that’s a fairly yes,” Macdonald said. “But again, with these things, we said week to week from the get-go. I think that’s where we’re at at this point. So I think it’s fair we’re taking it week by week.”

Noah Fant will miss his first game since coming to Seattle as part of the Russell Wilson trade with Denver in 2022. Macdonald said Fant hurt his groin in practice on Wednesday. The sixth-year veteran tight end is fourth on the Seahawks in receiving yardage this season, with 27 catches for 285 yards.

“He’s gonna need some time, so he’ll be out this week,” Macdonald said.

George Fant, who was designated to return to practice last week, was a limited participant on Wednesday and Thursday before being listed as a full participant on Friday. That puts him in line to potentially start at right tackle for the first time since he suffered a knee injury in the first quarter of the season opener against Denver.

George Fant opened as the Week 1 starter at right tackle due to Abraham Lucas beginning the season on the physically unable to perform list while recovering from offseason knee surgery. Seattle started fourth-stringer Michael Jerrell at right tackle the past two weeks after Fant went down in Week 1 and third-stringer Stone Forsythe missed Week 7 before landing on injured reserve.

Macdonald said any transactions – which could include adding George Fant to the 53-man roster – would take place Saturday.

“George looks good,” Macdonald said. “George looks really good.”

Jones made his Seahawks debut on Sunday against the Bills after being acquired in an Oct. 23 trade with Tennessee. The fourth-year pro started for Seattle and made a team-high 15 tackles in the loss. He didn’t appear on the practice report Wednesday or Thursday, but Macdonald said his neck stiffened up on Friday.

“It just stiffened up on him, so we’ll take that day by day, but we just took care of him today,” Macdonald said.

Young, a 2023 fourth-round draft pick, began the season on the PUP list. He played two defensive snaps in his season debut against San Francisco in Week 6, but was inactive the past two weeks.