One of the mystery men of Seahawks training camp, RT J’Marcus Webb, passed his first game test. But coach Pete Carroll also disclosed Sunday that injuries to two draft choices, of whom much was expected, TE Nick Vannett and DT Jarran Reed, are likely to keep them out of the Sept. 11 regular-season opener against Miami.
“Both those guys are not going to make it this week and it’s going to be a race against it next week,” Carroll said after the team resumed practice following a 27-17 win Thursday over Dallas. “Jarran (ankle/toe) is ahead of Nick (high ankle sprain), I would say, but we’re going to wait and see. We won’t know.”
The Seahawks traded up in the second round to get Alabama’s Reed, who looked like a good replacement for Brandon Mebane. Vannett, a third-rounder from Ohio State, was going to add a solid blocker to the tight end group that may not have starter Jimmy Graham, still recovering from a torn patellar tendon.
Meanwhile, Webb, who figures to get a lot of action in the Seahawks’ final preseason tuneup Thursday in Oakland, impressed during 24 snaps against Dallas.
“I thought he did a great job,” Carroll said. “It was great to see him out there. He did a very solid job on the right side, and flipped over and was very comfortable on the left side. It’s not necessarily obvious that the guy was going to be able to do that.
“He looked very good in practice during the week so we got him a few snaps there just to show us the flexibility when you have to adjust and move things around. He’s battling for a spot to play now. He’s right in there, so we’re very happy about that.”
A sore knee kept Webb out of the first two games and raised speculation that LT Garry Gilliam might be moved to the right side and newcomer Bradley Sowell may advance to start at left tackle.
Still could happen, but Webb finally offered evidence he can play.
Even though the Seahawks’ first-unit offense finally scored Thursday, Carroll indicated much work remains.
“We got downfield five of the first seven times, or something like that,” he said. “We can do better, but we looked sharper. The line of scrimmage was good again for the running game. Pass protection was good. Timing was solid. We missed a couple balls here and there that would have made a big difference in the first half. But I thought it was really solid.
“We played really hard across the board in all phases and I was fired up for the feeling there at the stadium.”
Carroll said first cuts to the 90-man roster will be made Tuesday morning.
