In addition to the absence of Cliff Avril, the Seahawks defense will also be missing his roster replacement, DE Quinton Jefferson, who broke his hand 20 minutes into his first practice Wednesday and will be out four weeks or so.
“Right off the bat” in a pass-rush drill, coach Pete Carroll said after practice Friday. “Just an unusual thing that happened, and unfortunate in his return.”
Jefferson was a fifth-round draft pick by the Seahawks in 2016 and was cut this season largely because he couldn’t stay healthy. He was on the Rams’ practice squad before Seattle added him to its 53-man roster Monday.
Regarding Avril’s neck/spine injury from Sunday’s game against the Colts, Carroll and the Seahawks are “kind of in a holding pattern” for awhile regarding whether his season, and his career, can continue.
“There’s nothing updated at this time,” her said. “He’ll travel with us this weekend. We’re just holding him out for a while.”
The Seahawks are down to seven active D-linemen and usually play with eight, so a player likely will be added before Sunday’s 1 p.m. game in Los Angeles against the NFC West-leading Rams.
CB Jeremy Lane is listed as doubtful with a groin injury, and another defensive starter, LB Michael Wilhoite, is questionable with a sore hamstring. RB C.J. Prosise is also listed as doubtful with a sprained ankle.
LT Rees Odhiambo, who was hospitalized overnight Sunday with a sternum bruise, was a full participant in practice and will start Sunday.
So too, will RB Thomas Rawls, replacing Carson after being a healthy inactive for the first time in his career last week. He has carried four times for five yards.
“He was on it,” Carroll said of Rawls’ practice week. “He didn’t miss anything, was full-speed the whole way. He’s raring to go and he’s really fired up to play. We’re excited about him being back in action.”
After weeks of no information regarding rookie DT Malik McDowell’s off-season accident that has kept him off the field and out of Seattle, Carroll finally confirmed McDowell had “a really bad concussion” but still hopes to make it back for part of the season.
“I think it’s within two weeks that he’ll get kind of reassessed, just to see where we are,” he said. “There’s been some conversation from different camps kind of about where he is and how he’s doing. So the check-ups are really important. We’ve not ruled that thought out that he could come back.”
McDowell, the Seahawks’ first pick in the April draft, was reportedly injured in an ATV accident near his home in Michigan, but the Seahawks have yet to explain the circumstances. Aside from one short trip at the start of training camp to be examined by team doctors, McDowell has not returned to Seattle.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2235790 https://sportspressnw.wpengine.com/?p=2235790">2 Comments
Typically, when the schedule comes out, I hope for the bye to be more towards the end of the season. Now, it seems it can’t come soon enough. The Seahawks may have caught a huge break with theirs arriving next week.
Should the wave of injuries subside, the bye could become an key footnote to a championship run. Should they instead continue to pile up… well, seems Jerry Dipoto and John Schneider would make good drinking buddies.
I was thinking the same as your first paragraph before I saw your missive. Injuries are the tragic part of football . . .