Seahawks receiver Doug Baldwin was one unexpected name on this week's injury report, and while Baldwin didn't practice Thursday, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was cautiously optimistic about his leading receiver's chances at playing when Seattle hosts the Rams Sunday.
"We think (he's OK)," Carroll said. "He's going to do a little more work tomorrow. He'll go all the way to game time, but he feels very good. But we're still going to be slow to bring him back. He'll do some stuff tomorrow, then we'll take it all the way to game time on that."
Left tackle Russell Okung, who left last week's game with a calf injury, also missed a second day of practice, and his status remains up in the air.
"We're going to wait and see," Carroll said. "He couldn't do anything today. He's questionable at this point I would think. Then we'll see what happens, see if we can upgrade him or downgrade him all the way to game time."
Also falling in the wait-and-see category is safety Kam Chancellor, who injured his pelvis two weeks ago in Baltimore and missed last week's game.
"He was better yesterday, didn't make a lot of progress today, so we'll have to wait and see," Carroll said. "He couldn't work today."
Seahawks in "good shape right now" at cornerback
With DeShawn Shead fully recovered from the ankle injury he suffered in Baltimore, and with Jeremy Lane playing well in Shead's place at right cornerback during the past two games, Carroll feels good about the depth and flexibility he has at that spot, and at the nickel corner position. Carroll was not, however, saying how things might look against St. Louis Sunday.
"It's a good situation for us," Carroll said. "We're in good shape right now. DeShawn looks like he's totally back and ready to play as well, so we have some options. We'll let you know at game time what's happening with that. But we're really happy both those guys can go and both are ready to start if we need them to."
Until recently, Shead was the right corner with Lane playing the nickel spot, but Lane can play outside as well, and Shead and Marcus Burley can also play in the slot. That kind of flexibility gives the Seahawks the option to change things around depending on matchups, Carroll said.
"(Lane) is well equipped to play the nickel spot, he does a nice job there," Carroll said. "We're really happy to see him coming back and playing outside and getting some reps there. It's just going to make us better for whatever the needs are. Then we look at the matchups that we'll have on the slot—Marcus has done a good job for us too, and is coming off a really big game last week. So we just feel that we have some flexibility, so as we get prepared throughout the weeks, we'll look at the matchups and make some decisions and kind of unveil that at game time."
A brief holiday break
Seahawks players and coaches don't get much time off for Christmas, but the team did at least adjust its usual schedule so players could get home earlier on Christmas eve, then come in late on Christmas.
"We give the guys a chance to get home tonight," Carroll said. "We have a lot of guys with kids and family and stuff like that, so they'll have a chance to have a Christmas morning, and then we'll get going at noontime. We don't make a big deal about (changing the schedule). I think we'll just roll right through. It shouldn't be a factor.
"We should always recognize, and we don't need to be so crazy that we can't. They don't get all the time off either, so they're still working. But we try to recognize enough of an opportunity so everyone can feel the holidays and be with the family and all of that. We're able to do it. We can get that done."
Here are the Thursday practice reports for the Seahawks and Rams:
Seattle Seahawks
Out
RB Marshawn Lynch (abdomen)
Did not participate in practice
WR Doug Baldwin (hamstring)
TE Anthony McCoy (knee/ankle)
T Russell Okung (calf)
S Kam Chancellor (pelvis)
DT Jordan Hill (toe)
Limited participation in practice
DE Michael Bennett (toe)
Full participation in practice
CB DeShawn Shead (ankle)
DE Cliff Avril (not injury related)
CB Jeremy Lane (knee)
WR Jermaine Kearse (calf)
St. Louis Rams
Did not participate in practice
T Andrew Donnal (knee)
CB Eric Patterson (ankle)
CB Lamarcus Joyner (back)
Full participation in practice
WR Bradley Marquez (knee)
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