RENTON — While it would take a teammate’s injury for him to shed the label of the Seattle Seahawks’ third-string quarterback, Charlie Frye has earned a new job title in recent weeks.
Preseason starter.
Frye is likely to make his second consecutive start when the Seahawks play the San Diego Chargers this Monday night, coach Mike Holmgren said Friday. Holmgren added that regular starter Matt Hasselbeck is unlikely to make the trip to San Diego because of a sore back, which means Frye and No. 2 quarterback Seneca Wallace should see the bulk of the playing time.
“Charlie will play most of the game,” Holmgren said, “but Seneca will be able to play.”
Wallace has been nursing a sore groin this week.
Frye started last Saturday’s game against Chicago and played the entire 63 ½ minutes of the 29-26 overtime win.
As for Hasselbeck, Holmgren continued to downplay the significance of his back injury on Friday.
“You’ve got to just let it calm down a little bit,” he said after Friday’s practice. “He’s much better (than Hasselbeck was earlier in the week). He told me that.
“As I said (Wednesday), he’s got to be ready to play (in the Sept. 7 regular-season opener).”
The third game is typically when Seattle’s starters see the most playing time of the preseason, but Holmgren said that injuries are likely to change that strategy this year.
“Our injury list was pretty big,” he said. “… It made me look at the third game differently than I have in the past. In the past, I always wanted the starters to come out in the third quarter. That’s not the case this time.”
Spencer on the mend: The Seahawks still haven’t had their five starting offensive linemen together for a single practice this summer, but they’re getting closer.
Center Chris Spencer joined the No. 1 offense during team drills Friday afternoon, giving the Seahawks four-fifths of their starting unit. Right tackle Sean Locklear injured his left knee in Saturday’s preseason game and is likely to miss another two to three weeks.
Holmgren said it was nice to have Spencer back working with the first team. “That was encouraging. Very, very encouraging,” he said. “So he went through practice and we fumbled a couple snaps, but the important thing was that he got back out and did some stuff.”
Holmgren added that Spencer is unlikely to play in Monday’s game at San Diego.
Back to work: One day after giving his players a breather by way of a movie, Holmgren was back on the practice field Friday afternoon.
He said the movie served as a welcome break for the players.
“I think I could’ve sent them to the park and they would’ve been happy,” Holmgren said Friday. “I think their legs are pretty tired; they’ve worked very hard. It was an easy call.”
Quick slants: Defensive tackle Red Bryant, who had minor knee surgery two weeks ago, continues to ease back into practice. He was on the field for the second time this week Friday afternoon. … The Seahawks practice today and will travel to San Diego on Sunday. Monday night’s game against San Diego will be televised nationally on ESPN.
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