Byron Maxwell out, so Dontae Johnson, rookie Tre Flowers in Seahawks’ right-CB battle at LA

Byron Maxwell was out. So the Seahawks’ three-man competition at right cornerback was down to two for the second preseason game: Dontae Johnson and rookie Tre Flowers.

Maxwell was on the field for warmups before Saturday night’s exhibition against the Los Angeles Chargers at the StubHub Center south of L.A. But the 30-year-old was not recovered enough from his hip-flexor injury that cost him more than a week. He returned to full practicing on Thursday.

He told me Thursday he had hoped to play, knowing he had to get back on the field soon to remain in the competition to start opposite Shaquill Griffin in Seattle’s completely remade secondary. Griffin moved this offseason from starting on the right side last season as a rookie to departed Richard Sherman’s former left side.

Maxwell’s absence Saturday night meant a big chance for Johnson, who started all 16 games last season for the San Francisco 49ers at right cornerback. He returned this past week from a broken bone in his foot he got in June.

Coach Pete Carroll said the Seahawks’ coaches were looking forward to seeing what Johnson could bring to the secondary with his experience, especially playing in Seattle’s NFC West.

It’s far more experience than Flowers has. Saturday was the rookie fifth-round pick’s second pro game—and his second game at cornerback. The 6-foot-3 Flowers was a safety in college at Oklahoma State.

In other Seahawks news pregame Saturday, general manager John Schneider said on the team’s radio-network pregame show rookie offensive tackle Jamarco Jones had surgery this past week with a specialist in Green Bay, Wis. Jones, another fifth-round pick, was getting some starting time for Germain Ifedi at right tackle before he sustained a serious high-ankle sprain in last week’s preseason opener against Indianapolis.