Published: Thursday, September 10, 2009
Seahawks' Jones, Spencer could return for 2nd game
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Ted S. Warren / Associated Press
Seahawks tackle Walter Jones, who has been sidelined with back and knee injuries, could play against the 49ers in Seattle’s second game.
RENTON — It hardly came as a surprise Wednesday, but Seahawks coach Jim Mora announced that left tackle Walter Jones and center Chris Spencer won’t be available for Sunday’s season opener against St. Louis.
It had been assumed that both Jones, who had arthroscopic surgery on his knee during training camp, and Spencer, who has a slight tear in his quadriceps, would be out for the first game. The bigger question is when the two starting linemen might be back.
Mora didn’t rule out that one or both could return as soon as next week’s game at San Francisco.
“There is a chance that both of those guys could be ready to come back next week,” he said. “So we’ll just see where we are next week.”
Mora said he’s confident in the starting line of left tackle Sean Locklear, left guard Rob Sims, center Steve Vallos, right guard Max Unger and right tackle Ray Willis, and that he likes Mansfield Wrotto providing depth in the interior line. Mora admitted he isn’t as comfortable with the depth at tackle, however, where only the recently signed Brandon Frye serves as a backup.
As for cornerback Marcus Trufant, who is on the physically unable to perform list and therefore not eligible to return until after the sixth game, Mora said he doesn’t know yet if Trufant will be ready to return when he is eligible to come off the PUP list.
“I can’t say that, because I’d be lying to you,” he said. “Just the way this thing’s played out — initially it seemed to be very minor, and it wasn’t, so I don’t want to put a time limit on it. Hopefully that’s what it is, but I don’t know. I don’t think anyone knows. We’re doing the best we can, he’s doing the best he can to get back, but it’s going to happen in its own time.”
Mora said there haven’t been any setbacks for Trufant, just that his back injury hasn’t progressed as well as expected.
“It’s just that the progress is not what we hoped it would be,” he said. “We went into training camp thinking it was, a couple days he’ll be out here. Then it was next week. It just hasn’t responded.”
Injury report
Not practicing Wednesday for the Seahawks were WR Deion Branch (hamstring), CB Travis Fisher (hamstring), DE Derek Walker (hamstring) and S C.J. Wallace (ribs). Teams don’t have to give a status for the injured players until Friday.
The Rams practiced without S Craig Dahl (hamstring), LB Larry Grant (knee) and T John Greco (hand). Limited were QB Marc Bulger (finger), RB Sam Gado (ribs), RB Mike Karney (ankle) and DE Leonard Little (knee). Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said that Bulger, who has a broken pinkie on his throwing hand, took snaps and seems to be on track to play.
Griffith to start at fullback
Owen Schmitt started training camp as the team’s starting fullback, but veteran Justin Griffith has passed Schmitt on the depth chart.
“Justin is very experienced in the scheme,” Mora said of Griffith, who he coached in Atlanta. “He provides a confidence level for the runners that Owen just quite yet hasn’t obtained, although we think he will. It’s not a reflection on Owen Schmitt. We like Owen Schmitt a lot. I think he’s got a really bright future.”
Room for one
Mora said that only one of the three rookie defensive linemen on the team, Nick Reed, Michael Bennett and Derek Walker, will likely on the active roster Sunday, though he said he didn’t know yet which one.
Captains named
The players voted on captains, choosing Lofa Tatupu and Deon Grant on defense, Matt Hasselbeck and Walter Jones on defense, and Lance Laury and Olindo Mare on special teams.
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog
It had been assumed that both Jones, who had arthroscopic surgery on his knee during training camp, and Spencer, who has a slight tear in his quadriceps, would be out for the first game. The bigger question is when the two starting linemen might be back.
Mora didn’t rule out that one or both could return as soon as next week’s game at San Francisco.
“There is a chance that both of those guys could be ready to come back next week,” he said. “So we’ll just see where we are next week.”
Mora said he’s confident in the starting line of left tackle Sean Locklear, left guard Rob Sims, center Steve Vallos, right guard Max Unger and right tackle Ray Willis, and that he likes Mansfield Wrotto providing depth in the interior line. Mora admitted he isn’t as comfortable with the depth at tackle, however, where only the recently signed Brandon Frye serves as a backup.
As for cornerback Marcus Trufant, who is on the physically unable to perform list and therefore not eligible to return until after the sixth game, Mora said he doesn’t know yet if Trufant will be ready to return when he is eligible to come off the PUP list.
“I can’t say that, because I’d be lying to you,” he said. “Just the way this thing’s played out — initially it seemed to be very minor, and it wasn’t, so I don’t want to put a time limit on it. Hopefully that’s what it is, but I don’t know. I don’t think anyone knows. We’re doing the best we can, he’s doing the best he can to get back, but it’s going to happen in its own time.”
Mora said there haven’t been any setbacks for Trufant, just that his back injury hasn’t progressed as well as expected.
“It’s just that the progress is not what we hoped it would be,” he said. “We went into training camp thinking it was, a couple days he’ll be out here. Then it was next week. It just hasn’t responded.”
Injury report
Not practicing Wednesday for the Seahawks were WR Deion Branch (hamstring), CB Travis Fisher (hamstring), DE Derek Walker (hamstring) and S C.J. Wallace (ribs). Teams don’t have to give a status for the injured players until Friday.
The Rams practiced without S Craig Dahl (hamstring), LB Larry Grant (knee) and T John Greco (hand). Limited were QB Marc Bulger (finger), RB Sam Gado (ribs), RB Mike Karney (ankle) and DE Leonard Little (knee). Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo said that Bulger, who has a broken pinkie on his throwing hand, took snaps and seems to be on track to play.
Griffith to start at fullback
Owen Schmitt started training camp as the team’s starting fullback, but veteran Justin Griffith has passed Schmitt on the depth chart.
“Justin is very experienced in the scheme,” Mora said of Griffith, who he coached in Atlanta. “He provides a confidence level for the runners that Owen just quite yet hasn’t obtained, although we think he will. It’s not a reflection on Owen Schmitt. We like Owen Schmitt a lot. I think he’s got a really bright future.”
Room for one
Mora said that only one of the three rookie defensive linemen on the team, Nick Reed, Michael Bennett and Derek Walker, will likely on the active roster Sunday, though he said he didn’t know yet which one.
Captains named
The players voted on captains, choosing Lofa Tatupu and Deon Grant on defense, Matt Hasselbeck and Walter Jones on defense, and Lance Laury and Olindo Mare on special teams.
Herald Writer John Boyle: jboyle@heraldnet.com. For more Seahawks coverage, check out the Seahawks blog at heraldnet.com/seahawksblog
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