RENTON – In Deon Grant’s mind, there was never a question whether he was going to play on Sunday in St. Louis.
Sure his wrist hurt, sure his hand hurt, sure he knew something was wrong after he was injured in last week’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings. But when doctors on Tuesday didn’t threaten to cut it off if he didn’t sit out, Grant knew he was going to be suiting up and playing for the Hawks.
Grant returned to practice on Wednesday, albeit with a hard cast on his left hand and wrist.
While coach Jim Mora wouldn’t go into specifics, saying only that it was on a hand and wrist injury, Grant said he tore a ligament in the wrist and also had a chipped bone in the hand.
Both injuries have a certain level of seriousness. Yet neither of the injuries was going to keep him off the field.
“In my mind, I’m always going to play,” he said. “I don’t try to miss anything. I was going to play.”
Some people close to Grant thought maybe it was a foolish idea. The wrist is going to eventually require surgery and some of Grant’s advisers felt he should opt for the surgery now, effectively ending his season.
“Some of those people thought I should do it because it would be best for me,” Grant said. “It was a possibility.”
But with Grant’s mindset, it was a slim possibility.
On Wednesday, he wore a hard cast that left his thumb and all four fingers exposed for practice. Mora believed that Grant would play in games with a similar cast.
“As long as he can grab, he should be able to play,” Mora said.
But Grant said that he will probably have a club-type cast put on the entire hand that resembles a giant Q-tip. He didn’t feel it would hinder him. He’s had to play with one before, he said. It only limits in one aspect.
“Just when catching the ball,” he said. “I have to catch it more to my body.”
As for tackling or fighting off blocks, Grant just shrugged his shoulders.
“I’ll be fine,” he said.
Jones misses practice
Running back Julius Jones’ return from a lung contusion took a bit of a step back when he didn’t practice on Wednesday. Mora had hoped Jones would be able to go in practice and begin rebuilding some of the fitness level and stamina lost since suffering the injury early in the loss to Arizona two weeks ago.
“We did tests (Wednesday) morning and he’s just not ready to go yet,” Mora said.
But Mora still hopes that Jones will be ready by Sunday.
“If he can play, he’s our starting halfback,” Mora said.
Still there is some question as to how much of the rushing workload the Hawks can realistically put on Jones.
“We are going to have to monitor it through the game on Sunday, where his conditioning is,” Mora said. “I don’t think we’ll have the answer to that question (un)til we get to the game. We’ll watch him practice and we’ll have a general feel. But until he starts getting popped and has to run a play every 30 seconds with 11 guys trying to hit him, we won’t know for sure.”
With Jones sidelined, the Seahawks put up a franchise-worst rushing performance of 4 yards on 13 carries against Minnesota on Sunday. This week, they will face a Rams defense that is the worst in the NFL against the run, surrendering 146.4 yards per game.
Extra points
DB Josh Wilson (concussion) and DL Craig Terrill (shoulder) practiced fully on Wednesday, while Jones and DT Red Bryant (knee sprain) did not practice. ... Former Kentwood standout and current Rams fullback Mike Karney received high praise from Rams pro bowl tailback Steven Jackson, who credited much of his success this season to Karney’s solid lead blocking. However, Karney has been battling a neck injury and did not participate in Wednesday’s practice.
Ryan Divish: 253-597-8483
ryan.divish@thenewstribune.com
