While the Seahawks lost one safety to injury for the remainder of the season, placing Tedric Thompson on injured reserve Wednesday, the news is positive on another starting safety, Bradley McDougald.
McDougald missed Seattle's Week 7 game with back spasms, then was active last week but only as an emergency backup. This week, McDougald is on track to make a full return, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said.
"Bradley is ready to go," Carroll said. "He's full speed."
McDougald returning to health comes at a good time for Seattle. In addition to Thompson going on injured reserve, safety Lano Hill is still making his way back from an elbow injury and is not expected to be back this week, Carroll said. Recently acquired safety Quandre Diggs, who has a hamstring injury, is a "longshot" to play this week.
"I'm going to go with him all the way until the weekend here," Carroll said of Diggs. "We've got to get him out to the practice field before we can give him a chance. It's going to be a longshot for him to make it this week."
As for Thompson's shoulder injury, Carroll said the third-year free safety needs surgery to repair an injured labrum.
"He needs labrum surgery," Carroll said. "He's had a shoulder that's been bothering him for some time. We're going to get him fixed up… He's been really toughing it out for a good while. We're going to miss him. He's been an integral part of our stuff. A really good teammate. We love the guy and we hate that he's not going to get to play, but we've got to fix him up."
Sticking with the secondary, the Seahawks are hoping to get Tre Flowers back after the starting right cornerback missed last week's game with a neck injury.
"He's practicing today," Carroll said. "We need to see how he responds to the week. Counting on him being ready to go."
On the other side of the ball, the Seahawks are getting Ed Dickson back to practice this week, as the tight end was designated to return from injured reserve. Dickson has not yet been added to the 53-man roster, and the Seahawks can keep him on the practice field without making a move for up to three weeks, but the hope is he'll be game-ready sooner than that.
"We just need to break him in and see where he is," Carroll said. "He was in good enough shape and had returned well enough that we were able to really push him the last three weeks to see if we could get him up to the work level that it would take to be ready so he can just move in and transition smoothly. We'll find out. We've watched him and all that. He's pushing bags and trainers around and stuff like that. It's going to be a little bit different."
Go behind the scenes with team photographer Rod Mar as he shares moments from the Seattle Seahawks' Week 8 game against the Atlanta Falcons. Eye on the Hawks is presented by Western Washington Toyota Dealers.
On Saturday, Jarran Reed, Jadeveon Clowney and their teammates arrived for the walk-thru in preparation for Sunday's contest on the road against the Atlanta Falcons.
Offensive tackle Duane Brown greets members of a youth football team who were on hand to watch the Seahawks do their Saturday walk-thru.
The Seahawks line up during their Saturday walk-thru.
Jaron Brown and David Moore keep a football up in the air during an informal hand-eye coordination game.
Running backs coach Chad Morton reviews strategy with Rashaad Penny.
Head coach Pete Carroll addresses the team at the conclusion of walk-thru.
Seahawks tight end Luke Willson lets out a yell after seeing a small Canadian flag hanging on one end of the practice facility.
Defensive backs Ugo Amadi and Lano Hill laugh at the conclusion of walk-thru on Saturday.
Duane Brown captures the inside of Mercedes-Benz Stadium during a brief visit on Saturday.
Center Justin Britt and running back Chris Carson walk on the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium during the team's visit on Saturday.
On Sunday morning, offensive guard D.J. Fluker sported a gold jacket as he made his way to the buses for the ride to the game.
Young fans wearing Russell Wilson jerseys wave to the buses as they pull away from the team's hotel.
At the stadium, Jarran Reed does early work with assistant coach Jethro Franklin.
Seahawks general manager John Schneider gives his best wishes to cornerback Akeem King, who was starting in place of the injured Tre Flowers.
Tangie Griffin, mother of Seahawks Shaquill and Shaquem Griffin, greets her sons on the sidelines prior to the game between the Seahawks and the Atlanta Falcons.
Seahawks offensive linemen Germain Ifedi and Joey Hunt in the moments before taking the field to face the Atlanta Falcons.
Seahawks George Fant and Justin Britt lead the team down a path from the visitors locker room to the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where fans dining in a restaurant have a view of the players as they walk by.
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll sprints onto the field during pregame introductions.
Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney gets pumped up before kickoff.
Head referee Clete Blakeman flips the coin during the pregame coin toss as Seahawks captains Russell Wilson and Mike Iupati watch along with Falcons captains Julio Jones and Devonta Freeman.
Seahawks tight end Luke Willson heads upfield after a reception on the team's opening drive, which resulted in a field goal.
Seahawks safety Marquise Blair brings down Atlanta's Austin Hooper in the first quarter. Blair led all tacklers with 11 tackles on the afternoon.
Seahawks Jarran Reed and Branden Jackson leap high on a field goal attempt by Atlanta's Matt Bryant, which missed wide left.
Seahawks running back Chris Carson finds the second level of the Falcons defense, helped by a block by teammate Mike Iupati.
Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf scored two touchdowns from Russell Wilson during the victory.
Seahawks fans made themselves known in Atlanta.
Seahawks linebacker Mychal Kendricks celebrates his second quarter interception with teammate Neiko Thorpe.
Chris Carson finds running room as center Joey Hunt finishes a block to spring Carson free.
Seahawks Chris Carson and quarterback Russell Wilson celebrate Carson's one-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson looks downfield with plenty of room in the pocket.
Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett makes a tough over-the-shoulder catch in the first half while covered tightly by Falcons defender Kendall Sheffield.
Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf gets his hands on the ball on this fade route in the end zone but was unable to hold on and the ball fell incomplete.
Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett makes a spectacular one-handed catch using his shoulder pad in the second quarter.
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers converts a 54-yard field goal to extend Seattle's lead to 27-11 in the second half.
Seahawks fans were loud and plentiful during the road victory in Atlanta, and celebrated as the team took a 24-0 lead into halftime.
At halftime, injured Seahawks center Justin Britt came out of the locker room to greet his teammates and offer encouragement.
Receivers coach Nate Carroll talks to his players in the visitors locker room at halftime.
Seahawks special teams player Travis Homer dives in an attempt to bring down Falcons returner Kenjon Barner.
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll gives instruction during a timeout.
Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner recovers a fumble caused by safety Marquise Blair (27) near the goal line, thwarting a Falcons scoring drive.
Seahawks fans gather near the team's tunnel to congratulate them after the win.
In the locker room, head coach Pete Carroll addressed the team.
Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright presented the game ball to his friend and teammate Bobby Wagner, who during the game became the team's all-time leading tackler.
Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner accepts the game ball from friend and teammate K.J. Wright in the team's locker room after the game.
Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner accepts hugs and congratulations from teammates after being awarded the game ball and for setting the franchise mark for most tackles.
The Seahawks head from the buses to their charter flight for the ride home from Atlanta.
As has become customary after a road victory, veterans get to sit in the first class seats usually reserved for the coaches. Jadeveon Clowney and Duane Brown talk about the game from the front of the plane.
Linebacker Bobby Wagner, wearing a Howard University sweatshirt, is already reviewing game tape even before the plane takes off from Atlanta.
