RENTON — The injury was so gruesome it left some fearing for the future of Tyler Lockett’s NFL career.
But Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll delivered some good news Monday, at least where Lockett’s long-term outlook is concerned.
Lockett may be lost for the season because of the broken leg he suffered during Saturday’s 34-31 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at CenturyLink Field, but Carroll said Monday that he expects Lockett to make a full recovery and be ready for the start of training camp next season.
“From all indications, if it goes as it’s supposed to, he should be in pretty good shape and have a chance to come back really without question,” Carroll said during his press conference at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. “There’s always an opportunity for complications and stuff, but the extraordinary worker that he is, his attitude, his mentality, will all lead to the indications that he should be able to come roaring back from this.”
In a game that featured several setbacks for the Seahawks — including an injury to running back Thomas Rawls, another inconsistent performance by the offense and the loss of control over getting a bye in the first round of the playoffs — Lockett’s devastating injury was the worst of them.
Lockett is one of Seattle’s most important weapons. The second-year player is the Seahawks’ biggest deep threat in the passing game, and just a week ago he passed Jermaine Kearse as Seattle’s first choice in two-receiver sets opposite Doug Baldwin. This season he had 41 catches for 597 yards, despite being slowed by a knee injury midway through the season, and in the previous week’s 24-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams he had his most prolific day as a pro, grabbing seven balls for 130 yards and a touchdown. Lockett is also a dangerous return man, having been named to the Pro Bowl last season as a returner.
But Lockett was the victim of awful fortune Saturday. Late in the second quarter, while catching an apparent 29-yard touchdown pass from Russell Wilson, Lockett’s right leg got caught under the body of Arizona cornerback Brandon Williams. Lockett’s leg was immediately placed in an air cast, and he was carted to the locker room. Adding insult to injury, Lockett’s touchdown was taken away following a video review, with it ruled he was down inside the 1-yard line.
On Monday Carroll revealed that Lockett suffered both a broken tibia and broken fibula in his lower leg. He underwent surgery late Saturday night to repair the breaks, an operation that went well into Sunday morning. The surgeons had to take precautions about infection because the bone pierced Lockett’s skin.
Carroll spoke to Lockett following the surgery and said Lockett is doing well.
“He’s making it through it,” Carroll said. “He’s feeling better today than he did after the surgery and all of that. He’s getting better. He’s going to stay in the hospital for another day or so because it’s easier for him. We’ll see how it goes, it’s kind of day-to-day. He’s comfortable being there right now under the circumstances.
“The surgery went exceptionally well and he has a real chance to get back going and moving four-to-six weeks from now,” Carroll added. “Then from there he’ll work his way back in a few months and have a chance to get himself going. He’s absolutely, positively optimistic about all of that. All he can do is ask about everybody else, he wants to know how everybody else is doing and he was fired up that the receivers all made touchdowns [against the Cardinals] and he couldn’t help but talk about anything other than himself — classic Lockett fashion. He’s being a real stud about it.”
While Lockett is expected to make a full recovery, the Seahawks must figure out how to replace him for the remainder of the season. Paul Richardson appears set to take on much of Lockett’s role in the offense. The former second-round draft pick, who like Lockett has speed to burn, had a career high four catches for 42 yards in relief of Lockett on Saturday.
As for the return game, Carroll said Richardson and recently-signed running back J.D. McKissic would be options to replace Lockett.
Carroll had better news regarding Rawls’ injury. Seattle’s No. 1 running back left Saturday’s game after suffering a bruised shoulder and did not return. Rawls underwent an MRI on his shoulder Monday afternoon, but the results were not available by the time Carroll addressed the media. However, Carroll expressed his belief that Rawls did not suffer a serious injury and has a good chance to be available for next Sunday’s season finale at San Francisco.
“He thought he was OK, he felt OK when I visited him,” Carroll said of Rawls.
“I think he will [be available this week].”
Seattle had two defensive starters who left Saturday’s game because of injuries, but later returned. Carroll said both strong safety Kam Chancellor (ankle) and defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin (wrist) should be OK for Sunday.
Playoff scenario update
The Detroit Lions lost 42-21 to the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night, meaning the Seahawks’ path to a bye in the first round of the playoffs is less complicated, though still not entirely in Seattle’s own hands.
To earn the No. 2 seed in the NFC and avoid the wild-card round of the playoffs, two things must happen for Seattle next Sunday in the final week of the regular season. The Seahawks (9-5-1) must beat San Francisco (2-13), and Atlanta (10-5) must lose at home to New Orleans (7-8). Both games kick off at 1:25 p.m. PST, so neither team will have the advantage of knowing what it must do.
Seattle could still finish with either the Nos. 2, 3 or 4 seeds.
For more on the Seattle sports scene, check out Nick Patterson’s Seattle Sidelines blog at www.heraldnet.com/tag/seattle-sidelines, or follow him on Twitter at @NickHPatterson.
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