The Seahawks wrapped up their week of practice Friday ahead of this week's trip to Los Angeles where they'll face the NFC West-leading Rams. Following practice, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll provided some updates on his team's health.
In addition to being without Pro Bowl defensive end Cliff Avril, Seattle will also be missing Quinton Jefferson, who was signed earlier in the week to provide depth with Avril out. Jefferson broke his hand in Wednesday's practice and will need surgery.
"He broke his hand in a pass-rush drill, and has to get it fixed," Carroll said. "It's going to be a little bit. We're thinking it's about four weeks or something like that before he'll be able to play with it, so we'll see what happens with that.
As for Avril, who is dealing with stingers and whose status is unclear past this week, Carroll said, "Nothing updated at this time, but we're kind of in a holding pattern right now. He'll travel with us this week and all that, and he's with us and all, but we're just holding him out for a while."
With Avril and Jefferson both ruled out, that leaves the Seahawks with only seven healthy defensive linemen. Asked if a roster move was coming, Carroll said, "We'll see."
Cornerback Jeremy Lane (groin) and running back C.J. Prosise (ankle) are both doubtful, though Carroll did note that Prosise "is doing well, running pretty hard, but we've got him listed as doubtful right now."
UPDATE: On Saturday, October 7 the Seahawks downgraded Lane and Prosise to out for Sunday's game.
In more positive news, left tackle Rees Odhiambo is expected to play a week after having to be hospitalized with a chest injury.
"He had a good Wednesday and a good Friday," Carroll said. "We gave him a break Thursday just to make sure we didn't overdo it, and he looks like he's ready to go… We were surprised somewhat. We weren't sure the impact of it, and he went through quite a bit on game night. He bounced back really well though right after that, so he was upgraded on Wednesday because he felt that good. He went ahead and practiced, we weren't sure of that, so from that point is when we started getting all the positive signals that he was OK. They took great care of him and kept him out of harm's way, and we're fortunate that everything worked out fine."
With Prosise doubtful and Chris Carson on injured reserve, this game should feature plenty of opportunities for Eddie Lacy and Thomas Rawls, the later of whom was inactive last week.
"We're excited about him being back in action," Carroll said of Rawls.
While the Seahawks will miss Carson, they do feel good about the depth they have at that position this season after using nine different running backs last year because of injuries.
"You saw how we went about it, getting Eddie to come in, then drafting Chris—and of course we were fortunate that Chris really worked out well," Carroll said. "We wanted to make sure—it just felt so difficult last year so many times with C.J. in and out—so we worked really hard to build that thing up. You can see how important it is. You lose Chris already, and to have Thomas coming in is a statement about how we went into it with the thought that we needed to really load it up and make sure we were in great shape there."
Carroll also provided updates on a few of the team's longer-term injures.
Rookie Malik McDowell, who was injured in a vehicular accident during the offseason, sustaining what Carroll called a "really bad concussion," still has a chance to play this year, Carroll said.
"He's got some stuff coming up in the next couple of weeks—I think it's in two weeks—that he'll get kind of reassessed and all that," Carroll said. "There has been some conversation, different camps kind of about where he is and how he's doing. So the checkups are really important. We'll just see. We have not ruled that thought out that he could come back.
On defensive end Dion Jordan, who is on the non-football injury list with a knee injury, Carroll said, "Just this week he has really turned the corner. He had a fantastic workout today… He's really pushing to not just get in shape, but to get ready to go. Is it one week, two weeks, three weeks? I don't know that yet, but he's going to get close to the opportunity to come back. We'll see where it fits, but it would be a tremendous boost for us if that could happen."
And on DeShawn Shead, who is on the physically unable to perform list, meaning he, like McDowell and Jordan, can't return until at least six weeks into the season, Carroll said, "He is ahead of schedule. There's never anybody who would work hard to prepare himself and position himself for this opportunity. He has done that. So we'll see how that turns out here. He absolutely has his mind set on getting back in a couple of weeks. Whether he can do that or not or whether they let him, I don't know that. But if you watched him run the hill today, he was killing it. So we'll see."
Seattle Seahawks
Out
DE Cliff Avril (neck)
DE Quinton Jefferson (hand)
Doubtful
RB C.J. Prosise (ankle, did not participate in practice)
CB Jeremy Lane (groin, did not participate in practice)
Questionable
LB Michael Wilhoite (hamstring, full participation in practice)
Los Angeles Rams
Doubtful
S Lamarcus Joyner (hamstring, did not participate in practice)
Questionable
G Jamon Brown (groin, limited participation)
