KIRKLAND – As if the Seattle Seahawks don’t have enough things to make them smile these days, the news just keeps getting better.
Coach Mike Holmgren said Monday that he expects running back Shaun Alexander and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to practice at some point this week, and both players have a chance of playing Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.
Alexander was scheduled to undergo further tests late Monday afternoon, but during his weekly press conference Holmgren said that the Pro Bowl running back was expected to return to practice Wednesday.
“I plan to have him practice on Wednesday,” Holmgren said of Alexander, who has missed the past six games due to a small crack in the fourth metatarsal on his left foot. “That’s my feeling. We’ll have to see how he tolerates practice.”
Hasselbeck, who threw a few passes while working with the scout team last Friday, could return to practice on a more permanent basis later this week. He went through a few agility tests Monday morning, and Holmgren expects the Pro Bowl quarterback to be available for this Friday’s practice.
“He has a chance to play this week,” Holmgren said. “I can’t say for sure that he will, but he has a chance.”
Hasselbeck has limited mobility in some drills, but the training staff is holding out hope that his health will improve in the coming days. He’s missed three games with a sprained right knee, during which time the Seahawks have gone 2-1 under backup Seneca Wallace.
Maurice Morris, who replaced Alexander as the starting running back, has had back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances after a slow start.
“I’ve been very pleased with how Seneca has played and how Mo has played,” said Holmgren, whose team has won two games in a row to improve to 6-3 on the season. “But when Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander can play, they’re going to play. It has nothing to do with where we are in our division or league or whatever.”
Neither Hasselbeck nor Alexander was available for comment Monday. Hasselbeck said last week that he was taking his recovery on a day-to-day basis.
Alexander has been walking around without a boot or any protection on his foot, and he said in October that he believed he was ready to play back then.
“For the last three weeks, he has experienced very little pain,” Holmgren said Monday. “And then (doctors have) stretched it just a little bit to see if he can cut, to do some of those things, and it’s my understanding that they’re going to let him test this in practice because he does not feel any pain.”
Holmgren is cautioning fans that both players could show some signs of rust.
“I think it’s asking an awful lot for anybody, if they haven’t done anything in eight weeks, to come in and shoot lights-out right away,” he said, adding that Hasselbeck might have a more difficult transition because of the demands of the quarterback position. “I think that’s a little bit of an unfair expectation.
“…But they’re still going to play when they’re ready to play. Physically, when they’re ready to play, I’m going to stick them in there.”
In addition to Alexander and Hasselbeck, Holmgren said wide receiver Bobby Engram (thyroid condition) and right tackle Sean Locklear (high ankle sprain) also have a chance of returning to action this week.
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