By Tim Booth / Associated Press
RENTON — Jordyn Brooks has graduated to the next step in his recovery from a major knee injury. It remains unclear whether that means the Seattle Seahawks linebacker will be ready by the start of the regular season.
Brooks was activated off the physically unable to perform list Tuesday, less than eight months after tearing the ACL in his right knee on Jan. 1 in a game against the New York Jets.
The move means Brooks can start participating in training camp practices. It doesn’t mean that he’ll be ready come Sept. 10 when Seattle opens the season against the Los Angeles Rams. That is still to be determined, Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.
“Once he steps out there and he’s going it’s on. So we have to make sure that he’s ready to handle that and sustain that,” Carroll said. “It’s not just getting back, it’s staying back and building up from there.”
For now, that means Brooks’ work will likely be limited to Seattle’s walkthroughs held each morning before practicing on the field in the afternoon. But whenever he does get back on the field, it’ll boost a linebacker group which has already seen the return of Bobby Wagner and the addition of Devin Bush this offseason.
Brooks said whether he’s ready for Week 1 will largely depend on if he can get enough football related conditioning done over the next 3 1/2 weeks before the opener, but he does think it’s possible.
“That’s the biggest thing is getting the conditioning and used to 12-play drives, six-play drives, running around in pads, getting used to that feeling again that’s going to be the biggest part,” Brooks said.
Brooks underwent surgery later in January and, while getting back for the start of this season was the goal, it seemed a little optimistic that he’d be ready by September. Carroll has said throughout training camp that Brooks was on the verge of returning.
“It’s crazy to me for him to come back this early,” Bush said. “That’s just a testament to how much work he put into his rehab.”
Brooks is entering his fourth season after being drafted in the first round by the Seahawks in 2020. He started 33 games the past two seasons and finished second in the league in tackles with 183 in 2021.
Brooks said it was around the time Seattle started its offseason program in May that he was able to make a jump in the rehabilitation process. He worked out near Dallas with teammate Jamal Adams, who is still working his way back from a quadriceps tendon injury suffered in Week 1 last season.
“Jamal he’s got a heck of a personality. But honestly, I would say that was probably the biggest boost for my recovery was kind of seeing him and how he was reacting to his injury,” Brooks said. “Having fun every day during his rehab process. It kind of encouraged me to bring that attitude to rehab everyday. So it was great.”
But Adams isn’t at the point of Brooks, putting Week 1 even more in doubt for the safety.
“He’s not quite as far along,” Carroll said.
INJURY UPDATES
Carroll gave updates on several injured players, most notably rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon who has been slowed in camp by a hamstring injury.
“He’s kind of in his own spot right now. He’s running straight ahead. He’s getting there,” Carroll said.
Running back Ken Walker III (groin) is taking part in walkthroughs, while rookie running back Kenny McIntosh should return soon from a knee sprain.
Defensive linemen Mike Morris and Darrell Taylor are both dealing with shoulder issues that Carroll said they’re trying to be cautious with right now.
“The shoulders we want to protect because we don’t want them to be chronic,” Carroll said.
Wide receiver Cade Johnson had progressed to doing bike riding and light activity after getting injured in last week’s preseason game.
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