KIRKLAND – With Chad Brown still a week from returning to the field, the Seattle Seahawks got another dose of bad news Thursday when they found out Anthony Simmons would be lost for two to four weeks.
Simmons underwent surgery on his left shoulder Thursday morning and will definitely miss Sunday’s Arizona game, at the very least. Team doctors did the procedure at Evergreen Surgery Center in Seattle.
“Obviously, Anthony’s a big part of this defense,” outside linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski said. “But we can’t sit around and go, ‘Aw, I wish Anthony was out here.’ We just have to move forward and get ready to win some games.”
With Simmons and Brown sidelined – and valuable reserve D.D. Lewis on injured reserve due to an unsuccessful offseason shoulder surgery that was performed by doctors not affiliated with the Seahawks – Seattle will start Kacyvenski and Tracy White at outside linebacker Sunday.
Kacyvenski has started the first five games in place of Brown, who could be back on the field as soon as next Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. White, a Howard product who made the team as an undrafted rookie last year, will step in for Simmons.
“It’s my first time starting, and I get paid to play,” White said. “So I’m just going to do my job.”
White is known for his speed and has been a key contributor on special teams.
Linebackers coach John Marshall said he expects White to play well. The veteran coach seemed unconcerned about the rash of injuries at his position.
“That’s why I get paid the big bucks,” he joked.
Simmons is the second starting defensive player to get knocked out of action this week. On Monday, the Seahawks found out that defensive end Grant Wistrom’s knee injury was more serious than expected. He’s slated to miss four to six weeks.
Antonio Cochran will start in place of Wistrom.
“We’ve been fortunate, but you can’t expect that all the time,” defensive end Chike Okeafor said of the recent injuries. “We play a violent sport, and guys get hurt all the time. It’s just natural, and you’ve got to take it in stride. You can’t let things like that bring you down because there’s nothing you can do.”
After Brown’s injury, the Seahawks went on an incredible stretch of fortune in which they used the same 11 starters over the first five games. With Wistrom and Simmons sidelined, that string will come to an end.
“Everybody has to go through the same thing we’re going through, injury-wise,” cornerback Ken Lucas said. “Hopefully we can weather the storm and do well while some of our main guys are out. We need to get back on a winning track and get this thing rolling again.”
Notes: In his second day of practice with the Seahawks, wide receiver Jerry Rice dropped two more passes Thursday. Then he dropped and did 10 pushups. “It wasn’t hard to convince him,” receiver Darrell Jackson said. “That’s our penalty for dropping the ball.” … Koren Robinson has gone two consecutive practices without a drop, which one would assume has something to do with Rice’s presence. But Jackson said his teammate is not necessarily motivated by the addition. “I think he’s getting motivated by you all (in the media) picking on him,” Jackson said. “You guys keep bringing up the drops and bringing up everything (negative), and he just wants to get everybody out of his face.” Robinson is not talking to the media because of a report that he will eventually be suspended four games. … Due to unpredictable weather, the Seahawks moved indoors for the first time Thursday. They held a 90-minute session inside the practice bubble.
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