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As Marcus Trufant was making his way to the practice field Tuesday morning, Darryl Tapp was walking behind him making trumpeting noises with his mouth.

“Trufant is back,” the Seahawks defensive end offered. “Spread the news.”

It was a day for giddiness, as the Seahawks held the first of two practices during their bye week. Not only was Trufant back, so was Leroy Hill. Trufant had been sidelined since the week training camp opened in late July because of a lower-back injury. Hill was back for the first time since tearing a groin muscle in the season opener.

It wasn’t just that the injury-ravaged Seahawks were getting two players back; it was the players who were returning that made it so significant. Trufant is a Pro Bowl cornerback; Hill the starting weak-side linebacker. Trufant was the Seahawks’ franchise player in 2008; Hill was given the tag this year.

“Not taking anything away from the guys who were playing their positions, because they did a great job,” strong safety Deon Grant said. “But those guys who have earned their stripes in the games and have showed what they can do in this game, especially with our injury situation, the more bodies we can get to come back it’s always a better situation.”

Their participation in practice matched the amount of time they have been sidelined. While Hill stepped in immediately with the No. 1 defense, Trufant got most of his reps with the No. 2 group – and did a lot of individual work with secondary coach Tim Lewis.

With Hill, if you didn’t know he had surgery to repair his groin, you wouldn’t have known. He was all over tight end John Carlson on one pass; he flowed quickly, and decisively, to practice-squad running back Louis Rankin on a running play.

“Leroy played better than he played before he got hurt,” Grant said. “He was out there today just on it. So all that is a great sign, and a sign we definitely need.”

Even better, it felt as good for Hill as it looked.

“I feel completely perfect,” he said. “It’s perfect. I’m running. I’m not thinking about it.”

That, however, wasn’t always the feeling. Following his surgery, Hill wasn’t so sure it would happen for him this season.

“After surgery, I was like, ‘Man, it’s over for me,’ ” he said. “Just because of the pain. There was so much pain. It’s the worst injury I’ve ever had.

“But as time progressed and I started heeling so quick, I was like, ‘Wow, I’ll be back in a couple of weeks.’ ”

Trufant was around all spring, when the new defensive scheme was being installed. But when the brunt of it was being worked on in training camp, he was in the training room.

“So Marcus is still a little bit in the learning process,” defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said. “Tru’s a smart man, so it won’t take very long for him to pick up on the scheme.”

As long as that learning is taking place on the practice field, the smile on Trufant’s face said, “Bring it on – please.”

“It just felt good being out here with the guys,” he said. “Just being outside. I’ve been doing rehab for so long, it feels like I haven’t seen the sun – or the rain – for a long time. So it’s good to be outside running around for the guys.”