A number of dinged up Seahawks get a day off

Published 11:27 pm Sunday, August 10, 2008

KIRKLAND — This Sunday was indeed a day of rest for many of the Seattle Seahawks.

Two days after manhandling the Minnesota Vikings in their preseason opener, the Seahawks gave several players the day off from practice so they could heal bumps and bruises.

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (back), middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu (knee) and wide receiver Bobby Engram (general soreness) were among 20 players who did not practice Sunday. Coach Mike Holmgren said he expects those three and several others back today or Tuesday.

Hasselbeck was seen stretching out his back several times during Friday’s television broadcast. He watched the early stages of Sunday’s morning practice from the sideline before going inside the team’s practice facility with trainers.

“It tightened up a little bit,” Holmgren said of Hasselbeck’s back.

Among the other players who were too sore to practice Sunday were wide receiver Joel Filani, tackle William Robinson and linebacker David Hawthorne.

Hawthorne, who was the star of Friday’s preseason opener, was walking with a boot on his left foot. Holmgren said that someone stepped on his foot during Friday’s game. The Seahawks had so many injuries Sunday that they worked with just four healthy linebackers.

Fullback Leonard Weaver started Sunday’s practice but appeared to strain a hamstring. He finished the session with an ice bag on his left leg.

The Seahawks could get several injured players back in the coming days. Center Chris Spencer has missed all of training camp because of a strained back, but Holmgren has said that he expects to have Spencer at practice this week — perhaps as soon as today. Defensive end Patrick Kerney (calf) and defensive back Jordan Babineaux (knee) could also be close to returning to the practice field in the coming days.

No. 1 with the No. 1’s: Rookie defensive end Lawrence Jackson, the team’s first-round draft pick, was working with the first-team defense on Sunday. The USC product is battling veteran Darryl Tapp for a starting spot, and he had a good game in Friday’s preseason opener.

But defensive coordinator John Marshall said that the team is just trying different combinations and that Jackson has by no means earned the starting nod.

“We’ll move him around,” Marshall said. “It’s not that he’s moving up. We just need to see him against the best players (in preseason games).”

The 6-foot-4 Jackson offers more size than Tapp, 6-1, and has the potential to be more consistent in run support. The coaches are letting them battle for the starting spot at right defensive end. Kerney, who led the NFC with 14½ sacks last season, is expected to start at right end.

Jones to start: Even though Maurice Morris put up better numbers, Julius Jones will get the start at halfback this Saturday night against Chicago.

Holmgren said that the team will alternate starters in the preseason, and possibly into the regular season.

“We’re going to play the both of them,” Holmgren said. “That’s the plan. … This game will give Julius more touches than he had the last game.”

Against Minnesota, Morris started and had 62 yards on six carries. Jones carried the ball four times for 15 yards.

No-pain Payne: A cracked rib did not keep wide receiver Logan Payne out for long.

The second-year receiver was back on the practice field, eight days after suffering the injury in Seattle’s annual intrasquad scrimmage.

Payne was wearing a red jersey to signify no contact, but he was running patterns against defensive backs as part of team drills.

Also returning to practice on a full-time basis was punter Ryan Plackemeier. He started kicking last week but had not taken part in a full special teams practice until Sunday afternoon.