RENTON — The Seattle Seahawks are lifting their suspension on fullback Derrick Coleman.
Coleman was involved in a two-car accident last Wednesday evening in Bellevue. Coleman left the scene of the accident, and he was subsequently arrested under suspicion of vehicular assault and hit and run. The Seahawks suspended Coleman indefinitely Thursday morning pending further information.
Coleman was released from jail Friday without charges being filed, though the investigation is ongoing.
Seattle head coach Pete Carroll did not have the exact timing of when the suspension would be lifted, but he said he has spoken to Coleman about the incident.
“We did see him,” Carroll said Monday during his press conference at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. “We also have seen the videotapes of his meetings with the police, so we feel like we’re doing the right thing right now.”
Carroll said he did not have any further information about the incident.
Though Coleman is coming off the suspension list, Carroll said he did not know whether Coleman suffered any injuries in the accident that may prevent him from being able to play in this Thursday night’s game at San Francisco. The Bellevue Police Department reported after the arrest that Coleman did not mention sustaining any injuries in the accident.
“He has to clear the doctor’s reports and all that stuff until we know, we don’t know that yet,” Carroll said about Coleman’s availability for Thursday. “He has not been able to see our doctors because he’s been on suspension, he’s seen other doctors.”
Coleman is in his fourth season with the Seahawks. A standout on special teams, Coleman appeared in each of Seattle’s first five games, starting two. He did not play in Sunday’s 27-23 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Coleman is also notable for being the first legally deaf offensive player to appear in the NFL.
Seattle would have to open up a spot on its 53-man roster in order to reinstate Coleman.
Injury update
The Seahawks are hoping to get defensive captain Bobby Wagner back for Thursday’s game. Wagner was a game-time decision for Sunday’s game against Carolina because of a strained pectoral muscle, but he was inactive. Carroll said Wagner could have played, but that it would have threatened Wagner’s availability for Thursday.
Carroll also said offensive linemen Patrick Lewis (ankle, knee) and Garry Gilliam (ankle) and receiver Tyler Lockett (hip) all came away with knocks from Sunday’s game that could cause them to miss Thursday’s contest.
Among the others who missed Sunday’s game, cornerback Marcus Burley (thumb) has already been ruled out for Thursday, but cornerback Tye Smith (hip) will be available.
Carroll said a decision has not been made whether receiver Paul Richardson (knee) will be activated from the physically-unable-to-perform list. This is the first week those players are eligible to return, and Richardson has already been declared 100-percent healthy, but the Seahawks haven’t made a decision yet. The other player on the PUP list, cornerback Jeremy Lane (knee, arm), is not yet ready to return.
Check out Nick Patterson’s Seattle Sidelines blog at http://www.heraldnet.com/seattlesidelines, and follow him on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.
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