RENTON — In what is becoming an all-too-common sight, the Seattle Seahawks went through another practice without the services of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck on Wednesday.
The Seahawks’ starting quarterback missed another day while nursing a strained back, and coach Mike Holmgren said that the team is handling him with kid gloves.
“He’ll be fine,” Holmgren said Wednesday morning. “Absolutely, your starting quarterback has to be ready for the first regular season game. And when guys have played as long as he has played, or as some other quarterbacks around the league have played, you’re not quite as concerned (about preseason playing time).
“I want him to feel better. That’s my main concern.”
Hasselbeck has said that the pain began two weeks ago, when the team plane touched down in Minnesota for a game against the Vikings. The quarterback played in that game but continually stretched his back on the sidelines.
Hasselbeck was held out of practices for most of last week, and he didn’t play in Saturday’s 29-26 win over Chicago. He returned to the practice field this week but left Tuesday’s morning practice because his back muscles tightened up.
Holmgren said that the latest flare-up might mean more playing time for Charlie Frye in the preseason.
“I would think so,” the coach said. “Matt’s back is still pretty tight and sore, so I would think so.”
Frye has been taking almost all the repetitions while Hasselbeck is sidelined. No. 2 quarterback Seneca Wallace is limited by a strained groin.
The only other quarterback on the roster is Dalton Bell, an undrafted first-year player from West Texas A&M. Bell has taken a few snaps this week after watching most of the first two weeks of practice from the sideline.
Holmgren said that the team has not yet decided which quarterback will start Monday’s preseason game at San Diego. Typically, the third preseason game is when the starting players see their most action.
“It’s a little early to tell,” Holmgren said when asked whether Hasselbeck would play. “We’re resting this up and treating this thing and we’ll see how it goes. We’re going to take it a day at a time and just see how he feels.”
Of note
Branch working hard: While the Seahawks continue to gear up for the 2008 regular season, starting receiver Deion Branch is doing all he can to return to health.
The team is holding out hope that Branch can be back from a knee injury in time for the season opener, and the fact that the wideout has been running lateral-movement drills is an encouraging sign.
“I just go with what the doctors say,” Holmgren said after watching Branch work with a trainer earlier this week. “He looked good to me doing that stuff. It looks like he could play.
“He still has some pain, which is understandable after that surgery. So we’ll just see. … We’re not quite there yet.”
On Wednesday, Branch ran backward sprints up hills with a trainer while the Seahawks practiced on a nearby field. After the practice, Holmgren cautioned reporters not to expect too much out of Branch for a few weeks.
“You come off that particular surgery, it’s a bugger, it’s tough,” he said.
Holmgren is still holding out hope that Branch will be ready for the Sept. 7 regular-season opener.
“But it doesn’t really matter what I think,” Holmgren said. “It’s important how (Branch) feels and how he’s going to do.”
Plackemeier closing gap: Since punter Ryan Plackemeier returned from surgery on a torn pectoral muscle, his chief competitor has fallen on hard times.
Veteran Reggie Hodges, who hasn’t played in the NFL since 2005, had a solid two weeks of camp while Plackemeier was sidelined. But in the past few days, Hodges has not kicked as well at practices.
Plackemeier has yet to punt in a preseason game, and Holmgren said there is a chance he will be available for Monday’s game at San Diego.
“He’s getting closer,” he said, “and he’s feeling better.”
Quick slants: After Wednesday’s afternoon practice, Plackemeier and Hodges took turns trying to punt the ball into one of the beams 95 feet above the indoor practice field. After several tries, Plackemeier finally accomplished the feat. … Rookie defensive tackle Red Bryant took part in some conditioning drills early in the Wednesday morning practice and is easing back into action. Bryant has been out for two weeks because of a knee injury.
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