Russell Wilson has new hamstring injury, but remains on track to start again Sunday vs Dallas
On top of his early-season struggles and rare, crucial mistakes in the fourth quarter of his latest game, now Russell Wilson has a new injury.
But the Seahawks’ franchise quarterback still practiced fully, as usual.
The team’s official practice-participation report for injuries had the rare happening of Wilson being on it Wednesday, for a hamstring injury. Yet he was a full participant. Thus the QB who has never missed a start in 98 regular-season games and 12 in the postseason remains on track to play Sunday in the home opener against Dallas.
Wilson apparently got injured Monday night during the 24-17 loss at Chicago, when he again played every down while getting sacked six times, completing 22 of 36 passes for 226 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He’s been sacked 12 times through two games, both losses. That’s the most times sacked in the league so far this season.
The 12 sacks are twice as many as he took through two games of 2017, and four more than he absorbed in the first two games or 2015. That’s the only other time in Wilson’s seven-year career as their starter the Seahawks started 0-2.
Bobby Wagner returned to practice. And the Seahawks expect their All-Pro linebacker back in the middle of their defense Sunday, too.
K.J. Wright may not be with him. The Pro Bowl outside linebacker remained out of practicing because of arthroscopic knee surgery more than three weeks ago.
“Bobby is practicing. K.J. is not,” coach Pete Carroll said before Wednesday’s workout.
Forty percent of the Seahawks’ starting offensive line that — along with quarterback Russell Wilson holding the ball — have allowed an NFL-high 12 sacks through two games, did not practice.
Justin Britt has a sore shoulder, Carroll said. The Pro Bowl alternate two seasons ago got hurt diving for the fumble Wilson lost on his sixth and final sack Monday night in the fourth quarter of the loss at Chicago.
“He’s day-to-day,” Carroll said. “We’ll see if he can play on the weekend. We’ll find out.”
The coach mentioned starting left guard Ethan Pocic, a college center at LSU before the Seahawks drafted him in the second round last year, and backup center Joey Hunt as the options to play center against Dallas if Britt can’t. It seems to be in that order of preference, too.
“So we’re good there,” Carroll said.
Except Pocic missed Wednesday’s practice while wearing a walking boot.
At least D.J. Fluker practiced for the first time since he strained his hamstring in the final preseason game Aug. 30. If the starting right guard plays as expected Sunday, J.R. Sweezy can move from right guard where he’s started the first two games for Fluker to left guard if Pocic can’t play. Or if Pocic needs to play center because Britt can’t.
Sweezy has played 75 career games, including two Super Bowls for Seattle at the end of the 2013 and ‘14 seasons, all at right guard. He practiced for about a week late last month at left guard, before moving back to the right side after Fluker got hurt.
Doug Baldwin missed another practice, though he was on the field wearing spikes for a change and doing stretching at the start of the workout.
It sounds like the Pro Bowl wide receiver’s sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee is going to keep him out multiple more games than the one he’s already missed.
“He had a good weekend. He’s real positive about it,” Carroll said. “But there’s nothing to say about him returning, at this point. He’s looking at it as every day he is trying to get well.”
Wagner was back on the practice field for the first time since he injured his hamstring 10 days earlier. That was while he played all 74 defensive snaps in the opener at Denver.
When asked if Carroll expects Wagner to play against the Cowboys the coach said succinctly and confidently: “Yes.”
How badly have the Seahawks missed him? Well, they are 0-2. They have the 28th-ranked defense in the NFL so far this season.
This story was originally published September 19, 2018 at 5:01 PM.