Seahawks notebook: LB Wagner, P Dickson named to Pro Bowl

Herald news services

RENTON — Linebacker Bobby Wagner and punter Michael Dickson were the two Seattle Seahawks named to the NFC Pro Bowl team, the league announced Tuesday.

The Pro Bowl selection is the fifth straight for Wagner, who leads the Seahawks with 114 tackles and 11 passes defensed.

Dickson, a rookie, leads the NFL in punting average at 48.9 yards and net average (44.2). He is the first Seahawks Pro Bowl punter since Rick Tuten in 1994.

Dickson is one if six rookies named to the Pro Bowl, joining Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James, New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley, Denver Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay, Indianapolis Colts guard Quenton Nelson and Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Wads. Lindsay is an undrafted player.

Seven other Seahawks were named Pro Bowl alternates: running back Chris Carson, defensive end Frank Clark, return specialist Tyler Lockett, safety Bradley McDougald, guard J.R. Sweezy, quarterback Russell Wilson and linebacker K.J. Wright.

The Chargers placed a league-high seven players in the Pro Bowl, including James, quarterback Philip Rivers, wide receiver Keenan Allen, running back Melvin Gordon, defensive end Melvin Ingram, center Mike Pouncey and special-teamer Adrian Phillips.

New England’s Tom Brady is the other AFC quarterback, making it for the 14th time. Noticeably missing is the Colts’ Andrew Luck.

New Orleans, led by quarterback Drew Brees, Dallas and Chicago paced the NFC with five players each. Brees is the starter, backed up by Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and the Rams’ Jared Goff.

Buffalo, Oakland and Tampa Bay had no Pro Bowl selections.

The 2019 Pro Bowl will be held on January 27, 2018, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

Seahawks place Simmons on IR

Seattle placed offensive lineman Jordan Simmons on injured reserve on Tuesday. Simmons suffered a knee injury late in Seattle’s loss to the 49ers on Sunday.

“He’s got a pretty good knee injury,” coach Pete Carroll said Monday. “It’s going to be an issue.”

It turned out to be a season-ender, a tough loss for Seattle of an emerging player — he started three games this season at right guard, and the last two in a row in place of injured D.J. Fluker — and another tough break for Simmons who had an ACL injury at USC that helped result in him starting just two games as a Trojan.

Simmons tweeted about the news Tuesday afternoon, writing: “Been down this road before… bounce back about to be crazy.”

Seattle will hope to get Fluker back for Sunday night’s game against Kansas City.

“We’re going to know in the next few days,” Carroll said Monday of Fluker’s chances of playing this week against the Chiefs. “I can’t tell you right now. We’re hoping that he might have a chance.”

With Simmons out Seattle is down to eight offensive lineman.

If Fluker can’t return then Seattle will likely go back to Ethan Pocic at right guard. He filled in against the 49ers after Simmons went down and was called for two holding penalties.

“He had a bit of a struggle on a couple of plays,” Carroll said. “He did some good things in the running game and got in a bad situation on his pass set and tried to save Russ (Wilson) by grabbing the guy. Nice thought, but we don’t want him to do that. Put it on Russ. Russ has to move and get out of the way and get the ball off, not go to that choice. Don’t go grabbing a guy. It was a legit penalty on that one.”

Seattle signs RB Scarbrough

The Seahawks signed running back Bo Scarbrough to their active roster — replacing Simmons — in a move that appears aimed at adding depth with Rashaad Penny’s status uncertain.

Penny did not play Sunday against the 49ers with a knee injury and stayed in Seattle for treatment Carroll saying on Monday the team was still waiting word on the severity of his injury.

“I don’t know that yet,” Carroll said of Penny’s status. “We’ve got to wait a couple of days here. We’ll see by Wednesday. He’s working hard to try to get back but it’s not certain yet, if he’s going to be able to turn it around or not.”

Penny, Seattle’s first-round pick this year, suffered a knee injury at some point in a win over the Vikings last Monday night.

Scarbrough played at Alabama where he rushed for 180 yards against Washington in the 2016 Peach Bowl.

He was taken in the seventh round of the draft by Dallas but was waived and later signed with the Jaguars’ practice squad.

He has yet to appear in an NFL game.

Penny has been backing up Chris Carson and Mike Davis and Seattle also has J.D. McKissic in its backfield, as well.