The Seahawks don't yet know for sure who all will return from injury for this week's game against the Carolina Panthers, but there is some encouraging news as they begin the week of practice.
Safety Earl Thomas, who missed last week's game with a hamstring injury, "is going to work today," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said prior to Wednesday's practice. "We'll see how he does. It's going to be a day-to-day thing to see how he makes it through the week. He'll be out at practice today."
Asked about DeShawn Shead, who also has a hamstring injury, Carroll said the cornerback is the same boat in terms of returning to work for Wednesday's practice.
Defensive end Michael Bennett, who has missed five games following arthroscopic knee surgery, is still on track to return this week, though Carroll cautioned that "he's got to go through practice and see if he makes it through the week and all of that."
Center Justin Britt, who missed last week's game with an ankle injury, is also expected to return this week.
"Britt looks to be in very good shape, ready to go," Carroll said. "He had a very good first walkthrough today, so I think he'll be all right, but he has to make it through, and Joey (Hunt) will be ready to go."
Among the other players who have a chance to get back this week are running back Troymaine Pope (ankle), tight end Luke Willson (knee) and defensive end Damontre Moore (foot), though Carroll noted the status of those players and several others likely won't be known until the end of the week.
"There's probably seven or eight guys who are going to have to go all the way to Saturday and to game time to figure it out," Carroll said.
Carroll said Pope "looked pretty good," in Wednesday morning's walkthrough practice. "We'll just have to see what happens. I was really surprised how quick he looked just in the walkthrough today. We'll see what happens."
On Willson, who left last week's game with a knee sprain, Carroll said, "He's talking about trying to get back this week. That's going to be an amazing turnaround if he does, but he's already running, so we'll see what happens."
And on Moore, who sustained a foot injury in Seattle's Week 11 win over Philadelphia, Carroll said, "He thinks he does (have a chance to play). Talking to him this morning, he thinks he does.
In addition to the players getting back from injury this week, the Seahawks should also get a better version of running back Thomas Rawls than the one they saw last week when he was still trying to bounce back from a heavy workload in his first game action in two months.
"I think he's just getting back," Carroll said. "I think this is preseason game No. 3 is what I really think it is," Carroll said "He had 12 carries last week. Judging from how he responded from the first game, it hit him pretty hard. He took a load. He looked better coming out today. In walkthrough, he looked like he's on the way back after the taking the first round of hits. He looks like he has endured that somewhat, and we're going to get a better week out of him. I think he was a little bit stoved up last week."
Team photographer Rod Mar shares exclusive behind-the-scenes images from the Seahawks' Week 12 road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
University of Washington grad Jermaine Kearse is all smiles on his way to the bus after the Huskies won the Apple Cup over the rival Washington State Cougars.
Seahawks fans line the sidewalk in Seatac as the convoy of buses makes it's way to the airport for the trip to Tampa Bay on Friday afternoon.
Head coach Pete Carroll is the first to board the Delta charter for the flight to Tampa.
On Saturday, linebackers K.J. Wright and Bobby Wagner make their way to from the buses to a local practice field for walk thru.
Seahawks punter Jon Ryan turned 35 on Saturday, and the oldest player on the roster was brought to the center to break the team down at the end of walk thru. Teammates Garry Gilliam and Troymaine Pope also share the same birthday.
Cornerback Richard Sherman relaxes at the back of the bus on the return trip to the team hotel after walk thru.
On Sunday afternoon, quarterback Russell Wilson wears his Bose headphones as he makes his way to the bus for the ride to the stadium.
Young fans were on hand to greet the team buses as they arrived at Raymond James Stadium for Sunday's game against the Buccaneers.
Tight end Jimmy Graham smiles in the Florida sunshine as he warms up before the game.
Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin takes in the scene as he stretches at Raymond James Stadium.
Seahawks defenders Kam Chancellor, Dewey McDonald, Tyvis Powell, Kelcie McCray, and Jeremy Lane walk from the locker room to the field for pregame warmups.
Quarterback Russell Wilson and head coach Pete Carroll share a word as the team stretches during pregame.
Back in the locker room before kickoff, Jermaine Kearse, Tyler Lockett and Russell Wilson focus in the moments before kickoff.
Linebacker Jordan Tripp shakes hands with teammate Will Tukuafu in the locker room.
Head coach Pete Carroll through the locker room prior to kickoff.
Quarterback Russell Wilson leads the Seahawks onto the field for the game against the Bucs.
Safety Kam Chancellor and teammates stand in their show of unity during the national anthem.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson greets Tampa Bay captain Russell Shepard at midfield prior to the opening coin toss.
Seattle's K.J. Wright and Steven Terrell stop Tampa Bay's Doug Martin on a first quarter carry.
Rookie center Joey Hunt calls out protections during the first start of his N.F.L. career.
Seattle's Frank Clark signals for a safety after he was held in the end zone by a Tampa Bay lineman. The safety resulted in two points for the Seahawks.
Quarterback Russell Wilson scrambles during the first half.
Steven Hauschka hits a 43-yard field goal that accounted for all of the Seahawks offensive points against Tampa Bay.
In a play that symbolized Seattle's frustrations all afternoon, defensive backs Jeremy Lane and Steven Terrell collide and lose a would-be interception that falls incomplete.
Offensive line coach Tom Cable instructs offensive tackle George Fant on the sideline between series.
Offensive players listen as assistant head coach Tom Cable gives halftime instructions in the visitors locker room.
Receiver Paul Richardson has the ball knocked away on a deep route in the third quarter.
Receiver Tyler Lockett couldn't quite get to this pass just out of his reach in the third quarter.
Doug Baldwin looks for extra yards after a catch in the fourth quarter.
Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham is upended and fumbles after looking for extra yards in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Russell Wilson was sacked six times by the Buccaneers including this play in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Russell Wilson helps bring down Tampa Bay's Bradley McDougald after an interception late in the game.
Head coach Pete Carroll walks off the field after the game.
Receiver Tyler Lockett listens to offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell as they leave the field after the game.
In the locker room, head coach Pete Carroll talked to his team.
Pete Carroll faces the media in the tunnel just outside of the visitor's locker room.
Once on the plane for the trip to Seattle, linemen Mark Glowinski and Germain Ifedi were already reviewing game video with line coach Tom Cable.
Back in Seattle just after midnight, receiver Doug Baldwin was the last leave the Delta charter.
