Seahawks Pro Bowler Riq Woolen likely out Sunday vs. Panthers
Woolen suffered a chest injury early in the second quarter of Seattle’s overtime win over the Detroit Lions in Week 2 and did not return. Woolen won’t need to be placed on injured reserve, but Carroll said he’s “pretty sore” and that it would take a “pretty good recovery” to make it back this week.
The Seahawks also might be without Pro Bowl safety Jamal Adams for at least another week. Adams has been on Seattle’s active roster but hasn’t played in the first two games as he continues to work back from the torn quad tendon he suffered in last season’s opener.
Adams was activated off the physically unable to perform list on Aug. 24, though he only took part in walk-throughs until he returned to practice last week. The team listed him as a limited participant all three days.
“There’s always the possibility that he could play because he’s practicing with us,” Carroll said. “He’ll go full go today and have a great week, I hope. We’re planning on making sure that we don’t do it until the time is exactly right, so we’re trying to just measure that, sensing from how he feels and all that. He’s really excited about how close he is now. So we’ll see what happens.”
After hosting the Panthers on Sunday, the Seahawks play the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on “Monday Night Football” with a bye week after that.
Adams practiced without limitation Wednesday, though his replacement, Julian Love (hamstring), was among nine non-participants. That group also included nickelback Coby Bryant (toe) and nose tackle Jarran Reed (groin). Receiver DK Metcalf (ribs) also missed practice but said he’s OK after taking a hard hit at the goal line on a near-touchdown and briefly leaving the Lions game.
The Seahawks added cornerback depth in the wake of Bryant’s and Woolen’s injuries by promoting veteran Artie Burns off their practice squad as one of a handful of roster moves they announced Wednesday. Burns, a 2016 first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers, was elevated off the practice squad for Seattle’s first two games and played a combined 33 snaps as an extra defensive back in sub packages.
Tre Brown likely will start on the right side if Woolen is out Sunday. The third-year cornerback replaced Woolen against Detroit and delivered one of the key plays, a pick-six that extended Seattle’s lead to 10 points in the fourth quarter. He also had a sack, a forced fumble and another pass defended.
Brown started the opener at left cornerback while rookie Devon Witherspoon was inactive because of a hamstring injury that sidelined him for most of training camp. Witherspoon, the fifth overall pick, had an up-and-down debut against Detroit. He broke up a fourth-down pass and was in coverage on another fourth-down throw that was incomplete, though he also allowed a touchdown when he bit hard on a flea-flicker.
Also on Wednesday, the Seahawks signed tight end Brady Russell off the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad, waived outside linebacker Tyreke Smith and placed rookie defensive end Mike Morris on IR. Morris, a fifth-round pick, needs season-ending shoulder surgery. Russell gives the Seahawks four tight ends on their 53-man roster, though Carroll said Will Dissly is dealing with a shoulder injury that kept him out of practice Wednesday.
Outside linebacker Boye Mafe (knee) and inside linebacker Devin Bush (shoulder) didn’t practice Wednesday but are on track to play against Carolina after missing Week 2, Carroll said.
Left tackle Charles Cross‘ status for Week 3 remains up in the air because of the sprained big toe that sidelined him against Detroit. He didn’t practice Wednesday.
“He’s getting better,” Carroll said. “He’s feeling more confident and he’s making progress. It’s a day-to-day observation to see how he’s making progress.”
Carroll didn’t have any update on when right tackle Abraham Lucas will return. Lucas, placed on IR last week, recently had a procedure on his knee.
“He could already sense a little bit of improvement and that’s a good sign,” Carroll said. “Sometimes it takes quite a while for the effect of it. He’s going fine and he’s getting around fine. He’s not hobbled at all and he’s continued to work out as he’s able. I don’t have any timeline for you on that, but good results so far.”
Seattle allowed only one quarterback hit against Detroit — on a long-developing Geno Smith scramble — despite starting backups Stone Forsythe and Jake Curhan at left and right tackle, respectively.
The Seahawks signed 41-year-old left tackle Jason Peters to their practice squad last week after Cross and Lucas both went down in the opener. Peters, who is in his 20th NFL season, was not elevated for the Detroit game. Carroll didn’t sound optimistic that he’d play in Week 3, either.
“I don’t know if it’s realistic or not,” he said. “We’re taking that one week at a time. He came out of the first week pretty good. He didn’t feel too stoved up at all, so we’ll see how this week goes. Two to three weeks is probably at least what it should take for him. Maybe by the end of the week he could be available. By next week if he makes it through and everything goes smoothly then we’ll really be talking about his availability.”