Tyler Lockett had what coach Pete Carroll called a “great” surgery to repair the fibula and tibia broken above the ankle in his right leg during the second quarter of the Seahawks’ 34-31 loss to Arizona Saturday.
On his weekly ESPN 710 radio segment Monday, Carroll said that Lockett could bear weight as soon as four to six weeks, but that there were “some issues with infection they have to fight” because the breaks came through the skin.
“He has a chance to have a great recovery,” Carroll said. Surgery began Saturday night and was not done until 4 a.m. Sunday, he said. Later Monday at a press conference, Carroll said no long-term consequences were anticipated, and that Lockett would be ready for the start of training camp in July.
Once Lockett is put on injured reserve, a player will be added to the roster, Carroll said. He said WR Paul Richardson will take over as kick returner, with newcomer RB J.D. McKissic a possibility. On punt returns, WR Richard Sherman was back for one punt Saturday, but Carroll was unclear about other options.
Lockett caught a 28-yard pass at the 1-yard line and was tackled by the Cardinals’ Brandon Williams, whose body weight came down on Lockett’s leg. QB Russell Wilson ran to Lockett and said he saw blood on Lockett’s lower leg.
The other injury to a starter was a shoulder bruise to RB Thomas Rawls, who didn’t play in the second half. Carroll had no news Monday afternoon on a scheduled MRI for Rawls, but said he was feeling better and “will end up going” Sunday in San Francisco when the Seahawks close out the season against the 2-13 49ers.
SS Kam Chancellor (ankle) and DT Ahtyba Rubin (wrist) missed some snaps with injuries, but Carroll believed they would play Sunday.
