Seahawks cut CB Cox, Maxwell to start again

Ending for now media speculation that WR Percy Harvin was going on the injured reserve list to end his season, the Seahawks Friday waived CB Perrish Cox and returned CB Walter Thurmond to the active roster. But Thurmond won’t be starting Sunday’s game against St. Louis. That job stays with Byron Maxwell.

“Byron has played great football for us and I think he is on a rhythm that we want to take out there in a game like this,” said coach Pete Carroll after practice Friday. “There’s no reason to put Walter in that situation after just one week of practice.

“But Walter is ready to play. If he’s active, he’ll be out there and helping us out. But it’s really a statement about what Byron has done.”

The waiving of Cox appeared on the NFL transactions report and wasn’t disclosed by Carroll, but the club later confirmed the changes. Thurmond served a four-game suspension for a stage two violation of the NFL’s substance abuse policy, reportedly marijuana, and was eligible to be restored to the roster after the past weekend.

Cox, waived after nine games with the San Francisco 49ers, was picked up first in November when Thurmond and Browner were hit by simultaneous NFL suspensions. Browner appealed his suspension and Cox had to be cut. When Browner subsequently lost his appeal on his stage-three violation, he was suspended indefinitely and Cox re-signed Dec. 11. He played in two games, making three tackles.

Maxwell and Jeremy Lane have drawn praise for filling well behind Browner and Thurmond.

Harvin’s return from hip surgery grows more unlikely this season, based on Carroll’s terse comments about his health. He will sit out out Sunday’s regular season finale.

If the Seahawks Sunday claim the NFC West title and the No. conference’s No. 1 seed, they would draw a bye in the first round, giving Harvin an extra week to attempt to return for the playoffs. So the Seahawks, by keeping him on the active roster, apparently hold out some hope.

One of the jobs Harvin was scheduled to fill, kickoff returner, will go Sunday to WR Doug Baldwin, who had returns of 37 and 20 yards against Arizona. He filled in after RB Robert Turbin fumbled two kickoffs, one recovered by the Cardinals. The original kick returner, WR Jermaine Kearse, has a sore ankle and is listened as questionable for Sunday.

“Doug is going to get some turns back there,” Carroll said. “Hopefully, not very many.”

J.R. Sweezy will return to the starting right guard spot after sitting out last week with a concussion. and LT Russell Okung, who sat out several plays Sunday with a sore toe, will start.

Carroll said he detected no hangover from the team’s first home loss in two years Sunday.

“They’re ready to go,” he said. “I have no question about these guys. These guys are ready to play.”