The Seahawks will face the Bears on Monday night minus three Pro-Bowlers, as receiver Doug Baldwin and linebackers Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright were all ruled out prior to the team leaving for Chicago on Saturday.
Wagner’s absence was the least expected, as he finished the opener seemingly without issue, only to have a groin injury show up during the week. Carroll said the hope is that Wagner only misses one game with this injury.
“He had a groin thing that showed up kind of late,” Carroll said. “He felt it, but thought it was a cramp during the game, and it just took him a couple of days to get it assessed. He’s running, he’s already working hard, but he’s not quite ready, so we’ll get him probably next week."
Wright, meanwhile will miss a second-straight game, the result of arthroscopic knee surgery he had in August, but like Wagner, Wright could be back next week.
“I watched him run today,” Carroll said. “He ran great. I can’t imagine him not competing to play next week. He really looked great today. He had an extensive workout, and I was just thrilled for him. To come back in two and a half weeks and look like that is a fantastic recovery. Great job by the trainers in working him back through it, but also just him handling it and dealing with it. It depends on how he works next week—he could have some setbacks, you never know—but he looks like he’ll be ready to go.”
Carroll did not say who will start in those spots, but options include Austin Calitro, who has played both middle and weakside linebacker, rookie Shaquem Griffin, who started in place of Wright last week, and Mychal Kendricks, who was signed earlier this week.
Asked what the biggest challenge was of playing without both of those Pro-Bowl linebackers, Carroll said, “Being right. Those guys have been with us a long time and they make a lot of great decisions and they’re in the right spots and they fit really well. It’s the discipline of the scheme—we’re a fairly simple system that we play with, and we expect these guys to play right play after play for whole ballgames. That’s the challenge, for the guys to just be disciplined enough to on the demands of the fits and the things they have to do in the running game and all that, there’s a lot of stuff. After a while, you get really accustomed to those guys knowing exactly what’s happening—they can teach the scheme inside and out. So that’s the concern.”
On Baldwin, who sustained an MCL injury during last week’s game at Denver, Carroll said, “He is running, and he’s trying to find out where he is in his return. But he did run pretty hard a couple of days, did not run today.”
On a more positive note, the Seahawks should have starting cornerback Shaquill Griffin, who showed up on Friday’s injury report with a thigh injury.
“Nothing really happened,” Carroll said of Griffin. “It was just a little bit of wear and tear. We checked him out and made sure he was OK; he’s fine though, and we rested him again today. So he’s ready to play.”
But while Griffin should play, fellow starting corner Tre Flowers is doubtful because of a hamstring injury.
“Late in the game he felt a little something, and again thought it was a cramp,” Carroll said. “It took him a couple of days for it to process, kind of like Bobby’s thing, and he has just had a hard week getting back. He’s going to travel with us and we’ll see how he is on gameday.”
Also doubtful, though not yet ruled out is guard D.J. Fluker, who missed last week’s game with a hamstring injury.
“D.J. is moving around pretty good now,” Carroll said. “He’s really close too. He’s going to go on the trip with us.”
As is always the case when injuries come up, it will be important for players to focus on what they can control on Monday rather than on who isn’t available.
“It really is something that you should have been talking about all along knowing that it’s going to happen at times, so that guys aren’t shocked by the fact that something happens,” Carroll said. “I think the way we (as coaches) respond is really important, and we always respond to give the love to the guys who are going to have to step out for a little bit, but the focus really goes on the guys who are stepping in, and we ask them to elevate to play at the same level as the guy before them, without exception. And everybody around those guys realizes that too, so we embrace the new opportunity that’s there at hand, and it’s always been something that has not been an issue for us.”
Here are the full injury reports for both teams:
Seattle Seahawks
Out
LB K.J. Wright (knee, did not participate in practice)
LB Bobby Wagner (groin, did not participate in practice)
WR Doug Baldwin (knee, did not participate in practice)
Doubtful
G D.J. Fluker (hamstring, did not participate in practice)
CB Tre Flowers (hamstring, did not participate in practice)
S Delano Hill (hamstring, did not participate in practice)
Questionable
CB Shaquill Griffin (thigh, limited participation in practice)
Chicago Bears
Out
DB D. Houston-Carson (forearm/back, did not participate in practice)
The Seahawks and Bears will meet for the 16th time in the regular season this Monday night in Chicago. Take a look back at photos from past games played between the two teams.
Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton (34) leaves Seattle Seahawks cornerback Cornell Webster (38) sprawling as he gains 11 yards with a pass from quarterback Bob Avellini in first quarter, Sunday, Nov. 5, 1976 in Chicago. Play was good for a first down. (AP Photo/Fred Jewell)
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike McCormack claps his hands while shouting encouragement to his players in the Kingdome in Seattle, Dec. 13, 1982. The Seahawks beat the Chicago Bears in their NFL game 20-14. (AP Photo/Dave Ekren)
Chicago Bears running back Matt Suhey (26), leaps through the air on a rush off right tackle good for two yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Seattle-Chicago NFL game in Seattle, Dec. 12, 1982. The Seahawks beat the Bears 20-14. (AP Photo/Gary Stewart)
Game action between the Chicago Bears and the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle, Sept. 23, 1984. Seahawks won, 38-9. (AP Photo/Barry Sweet)
Walter Payton, of the Chicago Bears, runs around Seattle Seahawks' Patrick Hunter after hauling in a Mike Tomczak pass in the second quarter of the game in Chicago, Ill., on Dec. 21, 1987. The Seahawks beat the Bears 34 - 21. (AP Photo/John Swart)
Seattle Seahawks' Marcus Trufant, bottom, and Ken Hamlin (26) sandwich Chicago Bears wide receiver Dez White in the fourth quarter Sunday, Oct. 19, 2003, in Seattle. The Seahawks won, 24-17. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Chicago Bears wide receiver Bernard Berrian (80) catches a pass for a 22-yard gain before being brought down by Seattle Seahawks' cornerback Marcus Trufant during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 1, 2006 in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Chicago Bears tight end John Gilmore, right, drops a pass as he is hit by Seattle Seahawks' Michael Boulware during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 1, 2006 in Chicago. Boulware was injured during the play and had to be helped off the field. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Chicago Bears running back Cedric Benson (32) carries the ball as Seattle Seahawks defensive end Grant Wistrom (98) moves in during a NFC divisional playoff football game in Chicago, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2007. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Seattle Seahawks' Nate Burleson (81) is greeted by Seahawks wide receiver Bobby Engram (84) after Burleson made a touchdown catch in the third quarter against the Chicago Bears in an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 18, 2007 at Qwest Field in Seattle. Looking on (from left) are Chicago Bears' Adam Archuleta, Danieal Manning, Ricky Manning Jr., and Adewale Ogunleye. The Seahawks beat the Bears 30-23. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Nate Burleson in action against the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, in Seattle during an NFL football game. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Seneca Wallace, left, runs from Chicago Bears' Hunter Hillenmeyer during an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks' Julius Jones during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Deon Butler (11) celebrates with tight end Anthony McCoy after making a touchdown over Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman (33) in the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2010. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Brandon Stokley (15) is tackled by Chicago Bears safety Josh Bullocks (36) during the second half an NFL divisional playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 16, 2011, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
As snow falls, Chicago Bears' Devin Hester (23) is knocked out of bounds by Seattle Seahawks punter Jon Ryan (9) on a punt return during the first half an NFL divisional playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 16, 2011, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Jim Prisching)
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) scores on a 2-yard run past Chicago Bears safety Craig Steltz (20) in the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Bears wide receiver Earl Bennett (80) misses a catch while under pressure from Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas (29) and cornerback Brandon Browner (39) in the first half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Golden Tate (81) reaches for the goal line for a touchdown past Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman (33) in the second half of an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. The Seahawks won 23-17 in overtime. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Sidney Rice (18) leaves the field after scoring the winning touchdown in the Seahawks' 23-17 overtime win over the Chicago Bears in an NFL football game in Chicago, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Seattle Seahawks' strong safety Kam Chancellor (31) and defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin right, tackle Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte, upper left, in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
El defensive end Cliff Avril (56), de los Seahawks de Seattle, captura al quarterback Jimmy Clausen (8), de los Bears de Chicago, en la segunda mitad del partido del domingo 27 de septiembre de 2015, en Seattle. Los Seahawks ganaron 26-0. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
