Marshawn Lynch Could Return to Practice This Week, and Other Seahawks Injury Updates

Running back Marshawn Lynch was still in the Bay Area on Monday, but there’s a chance he is back with the team when it begins its week of practice on Wednesday, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. Lynch, who had abdomen surgery last month, has missed Seattle’s past six games, but has a chance to be back soon. “He’s got a big day today and a big day tomorrow working out, and we’ll see how that goes,” Carroll said. “From what I understand he has a chance, if those days go back-to-back and he does well, to be in for Wednesday. We’ll see.” As for how long Lynch would need to practice before he is ready for game action, that will depend on how he looks when he returns to football activities, and how his body recovers from those days of work. Lynch is training with the same people with whom he trains in the offseason, and the hope is that, just as he is able to start each season with minimal preseason work, he will also be able to make a quick return from a long injury layoff. “It depends,” Carroll said. “We have to see him playing football, and see if everything translates. He has always come back in really good shape. He has been fast and strong, and has his endurance and stuff like that. So we’re kind of hoping that’s the same when the time comes.” The way Lynch has reported to camp in shape in previous years while working out away from the team is why the Seahawks are comfortable with him going through this rehab process in a similar manner. “Those guys know him really well, they’re the ones that have for the last few years really done great work with Marshawn,” Carroll said. “We’re trusting that they’re looking seriously at the preparation level and his endurance and all of those things to give us the good indication that we can move forward. “We have a really good relationship with the guys that are working him out, and longstanding… They’re extraordinary. They really tax you in the process and really challenge a guy mentally and physically, and we’ve really come to appreciate the work that they do and how they do it.”Other injuries Tight end Luke Willson is making “marked improvements” a day after leaving the game with a concussion, Carroll said. It will be later in the week before the Seahawks know if Willson will be cleared, but the early signs were encouraging. “We’ll see how he does,” Carroll said. “It’s something we’re going to treat very seriously and make sure he’s OK. He’s already making progress, which is a really good sign for somebody coming back from that. Often the guys make no progress in the first two or three days, so that’s good. We’ll see what happens though. We’ll take good care of him.” Without Willson the Seahawks had to finish Sunday’s game with only one tight end, which Carroll admitted, “does change us a little bit. It did. Some of the substitutions are a little bit different and all of that. The plays we had designed for Luke, we had to adjust, so that’s always going to affect you. Luke’s a big part of what we’re doing.” Three players who missed Sunday’s game—tackle Russell Okung (calf), safety Kam Chancellor (pelvis) and defensive tackle Jordan Hill (toe)—all have a chance to return this week. “There’s a chance that those guys can get back,” Carroll said. “We’ll see how it goes. We won’t know until late in the week, as always, but there’s a chance those guys can make it back. They’re all trying really hard to get that done. We really could be pretty healthy going in if those guys are able to come back. “They’re getting pretty close now, so you would think if they don’t make it this week, they should make it the week after. We don’t know, but that’s what we’re counting on.” One player whose status is not in question, however, is quarterback Russell Wilson, who is doing fine despite taking some hard hits Sunday. Asked how Wilson is able to come out of a game like that relatively unscathed, Carroll said, “He’s a good athlete. He’s got some ninja in him or something. He can get out of those hits. He’s really great at avoiding getting banged. He got hit a couple of times, but he’ll be fine for this week.”

Marshawn Lynch Could Return to Practice This Week, and Other Seahawks Injury Updates

Pete Carroll gave updates on Marshawn Lynch and other injured Seahawks during his Monday press conference.