He’s back now. But how will missing first 6 games affect K.J. Wright’s future with Seahawks?

The Pro Bowl linebacker walked onto the stage of the Seahawks’ main auditorium and began his first press conference in months with a playful (re)introduction. Just in case anyone forgot who he was.

“My name is K.J. Wright. I’m from Olive Branch, Mississippi,” K.J. Wright said Thursday. “This is my eighth year here. I went to Mississippi State.

“And I’m glad... to... be... back.”

Then, out of deadpan, he added for emphasis: “Very glad.”

Seattle’s mainstay at weakside linebacker for the last seven seasons is back from arthroscopic knee surgery he had in late August. Wright has practiced all week. His full work Thursday was his first since he felt his knee “give in” while warming up by shuffling laterally before the Aug. 24 preseason game at Minnesota.

An MRI exam he initially didn’t think he needed in late August showed he required surgery. His recovery was supposed to take two to four weeks. It took eight.

“When I got hurt, I circled the Cowboys game (Seattle’s third game this season, four weeks after his surgery) on my calendar,” Wright said. “I was on track. I was running in two weeks. But I think I ran a little too hard, had that setback.

“So, when you get injured you just have to listen to your body and just make sure you are smart. As badly as you want to come back in there, you have to make sure you come back right. ... Don’t push it too hard. Just follow the program, follow the protocol, and come back 100 percent.”

That’s where he says he is now, ready for the final 10 games. With Earl Thomas on injured reserve and likely having played his last game for the team, Wright and wide receiver Doug Baldwin are the longest-tenured Seahawks. Both arrived in 2011.

This is the final year of the 29-year-old Wright’s contract.

He absolutely knows that missing the first six games of the season is not the optimal way to show his team it should re-sign him into his early 30s.

“When I got hurt it did cross my mind like, ‘Damn, this is the worst timing,’” Wright said.

“But when you get hurt and you miss some ball, all you care about is football. And the contract stuff will handle itself.

“I just want to play. The money is the money. Whatever.”

Those are the words of a husband and father who has made $23.1 million in his NFL career. One who is earning $7.2 million this year. It’s the most money in one season of his career. His salary became guaranteed as a vested veteran when he was on the active roster for week one of this season, even though he was recovering from the surgery at the time.

So it’s easier for him to be c’est la vie — “the money is the money. Whatever” — than it is right now for, say, Frank Clark, Seattle’s breakout defensive end who is at the end of his rookie contract.

Then again, Wright always speaks and carries himself with a breezy, personable, down-to-earth persona. Football is part of his appreciated life, not all of it.

Plus, pragmatically, he sees what the Seahawks didn’t do this year with Thomas, who is Wright’s same age. Thomas held out into September. He demanded one of the league’s top contracts for safeties, or failing that, a trade. The team gave him neither.

Now Thomas is out for the year with a broken leg. He’s heading to free agency to find his money there, not with Seattle.

While Thomas stayed away from the team all spring and summer, tolling millions in fines, Wright dutifully showed up each day while in the same contractual situation.

“I just want to play ball,” Wright said again Thursday, “be out there with my guys, and just do what I love. Football is first. And that stuff will handle itself.’’

How much have the Seahawks missed Wright? They’ve used four different players in six games to replace him at weakside linebacker in their 4-3 scheme, with varying degrees of failure and success.

Rookie Shaquem Griffin lasted a quarter and a half of his first NFL game Sept. 9, the opener in Denver, before backup middle linebacker Austin Calitro replaced him as Wright’s fill-in. Then the team signed Mychal Kendricks to play there. He did, for three games. Then the NFL suspended him indefinitely for insider trading.

The Seahawks have been expecting more definitive word from the league this week on when Kendricks might be able to play again, but as of Thursday evening hadn’t gotten any.

The last two games Seattle has been in nickel defense 85 percent of the time, with fifth defensive back Justin Coleman essentially replacing the weakside, or what the Seahawks call “Will,” linebacker. Barkevious Mingo was been at All-Pro middle man Bobby Wagner’s side as the other linebacker in nickel, the role Wright’s had for seven years.

With Wright’s return, the Seahawks can play more base defense with three linebackers and Mingo back on the strongside against the Lions. That will come in handy for Detroit’s increased emphasis and effectiveness in its rushing offense with rookie back Kerryon Johnson the last few weeks. The run is a large reason the Lions and quarterback Matthew Stafford have won three of their last four games, as have the Seahawks.

“He’s kind of like another coach. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was something he was kind of into afterward,” Wagner said, referring to the eventual end of Wright’s playing days, “because he just loves the game that much and loves helping people. When he was out, he was a huge part in helping everybody that played ‘Will,’ as well as our communication on what I’ve seen, what I can do better, how I can communicate better with the guys I’m playing with and stuff like that.

“He’s definitely been around while he’s been getting his body right. So I know he’s excited to use the knowledge that he’s been given for himself.”

With the personable, non-confrontational, down-home and Southern Wright deferring to fate and faith about his Seahawks future, his good friend and star partner at linebacker this week used Wright’s return to resume his case for the team giving Wright a new deal past 2018.

Wagner was openly campaigning in the summer for the Seahawks to take care of Wright, to reward him for doing things the right way, by signing him to that extension beyond 2018 sooner than later.

Then Wright had the knee surgery.

Now? Wagner says so what that his friend missed the first six games of his contract year?

“I would hope that it wouldn’t (affect his future here), because no matter what the injury, no matter what happens, when you have a great player, you should keep him,” Wagner said.

“I don’t know the answer or how they look at it. If it was me or it was somebody else, I wouldn’t expect to be gone because I took care of my body for the betterment of the team. I don’t think that should change the way the way they see K.J. before or after (the injury), in my opinion.”

For now, Sunday in Detroit, the Seahawks will have their Pro Bowl linebacker duo back together for the first time this season. Wagner has spent the first six games directing Griffin, then Calitro, Kendricks and Mingo where to go and what to look for just before snaps.

Against the Lions and beyond, Wagner can go back to simply looking at and sharing a head nod with Wright before plays. That will free up him, and Wright, to go make plays instead of telling fill-ins about them.

Then perhaps the Seahawks will remind themselves of the value of Wright playing next to Wagner. They are the only two starters on defense left from Seattle’s Super Bowl teams of the 2013-14 seasons.

Not that they’ve forgotten. Then again, this is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league, where nothing beyond this week—or in Wright’s case that $7.2 million for this season and nothing more — is guaranteed.

“I believe when I left, Bobby had a lot of missed plays. He had to make certain calls that I usually make. He had to set the front, make the stunts, check back with the DB’s,” Wright said. “And so now you have two guys out there doing it together. That’ll just be really good football, and they were playing good before.

“I just believe it’ll be better when I get out there and put my expertise out there, put my spin on things. I think it’ll be great.”

More good injury news

All available Seahawks on the active roster practiced Thursday, the hoped-for result of last week’s bye — except defensive tackle Shamar Stephen. He missed with a new foot injury.

Rookie running back Rashaad Penny was full go a day after being limited with a finger injury. Tight end Ed Dickson fully participated for the first time since the spring; he will come off the non-football-injury list from soft-tissue injuries in his leg to make his Seahawks debut Sunday.

Starting defensive tackle Jarran Reed was back on the field fully after missing one practice for what the team listed as an illness.

Good deed from a good dude

When members of the media crew that regularly covers the team arrived for work Wednesday popular former Seahawks tight end Luke Willson had waiting in the media room of team headquarters an assortment of cookies, tarts and other baked goods.

Willson signed with the Lions as a free agent this spring, with the team that his close to his native Ontario, Canada.

He attached a note to the gift.

“My 3 years in Seattle were some of the best years of my life and you guys were a big part of that,” Willson wrote. “...I can’t even imagine how much you miss me.

“Enjoy some desserts on me, it’s the least I could do.

“Travel safe and see you on Sunday. -- Luke Wilson”

This story was originally published October 25, 2018 at 6:07 PM.