Seahawks look to get back key players this Sunday

Published 1:30 am Monday, November 28, 2016

By Nick Patterson

Herald Writer

RENTON — Reinforcements are on their way for the Seattle Seahawks.

One day after an ugly 14-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Seahawks at least took solace from the possibility Seattle will be back to full strength on the defensive side of the ball for next Sunday’s home game against the Carolina Panthers.

Seattle was missing four defensive players who began the season as starters when it faced the Buccaneers. Free safety Earl Thomas and cornerback DeShawn Shead both exited the previous week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles with hamstring injuries and were unable to play Sunday. Defensive end Michael Bennett sat out his fifth straight game after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his knee. And strong-side linebacker Mike Morgan has been on injured reserve since Week 4 after undergoing surgery to repair a sports hernia.

However, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll revealed Monday that it’s possible all four of those players will be back this week.

Bennett, who has been described by some opposing coaches as perhaps the most disruptive defensive player in the league, has been particularly missed after he had cartilage repaired in his right knee. The original hope was that Bennett would be back for the Tampa Bay game, but now the target is Carolina.

“I visited with Mike, he thinks he’s on,” Carroll said Monday at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. “We have to get all the clearance from the doctors, the trainers think he’s in good shape and ready to go, so we’re counting on him playing. He’s very positive about it, he’s really looking forward to getting back.”

Carroll said there was a chance Shead and Thomas will return. Shead was close to playing against the Buccaneers as he warmed up before the game.

“DeShawn I think is a little bit ahead,” Carroll said. “We need to see that from Earl, he ran really hard today and had a good workout. We’ll have to see as we get through the week.”

Morgan has been on injured reserve, but he’s now eligible to return, and Carroll confirmed that the team plans on activating Morgan this week. However, Carroll stopped short of saying Morgan, who has been a full participant in practice the past two weeks, would jump straight back into the starting lineup.

It’s also possible that back-up linebacker Brock Coyle (foot) and reserve defensive end Damontre Moore (foot) could return. So the Seahawks may have a full stable of players to choose from next Sunday.

Seattle had one significant injury against Tampa Bay as tight end Luke Willson departed with an injury to his right knee. Carroll had no update Monday beyond saying it was a first-degree sprain. The knee is the same one Willson had arthroscopic surgery on earlier this season, which caused him to miss four games. However, Carroll said the current injury is not related to the one that prompted surgery.

For more on the Seattle sports scene, check out Nick Patterson’s Seattle Sidelines blog at cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/heraldnet/tag/seattle-sidelines, or follow him on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.