Four Seahawks starters miss practice. Doug Baldwin, Bradley McDougald return to limited work
The Seahawks are playing catch up with their healing from their latest game.
The injury report and list of starters missing practice remained noteworthy on Thursday, three days before Seattle (8-5) plays at San Francisco (3-10) with the chance to win its way into the playoffs.
The most newsworthy item: The team’s top pass rushers missed practice after participating on Wednesday.
Top pass rusher Frank Clark went from limited Wednesday to missing the latest practice with an elbow injury from Monday night’s win over Minnesota.
Clark, who has a career-high 11 sacks this season in the final year of his contract, was also listed with an elbow injury in three practice days before the week-two game at Chicago in September, though he fully practiced with it that week then started as usual in that loss to the Bears.
Coach Pete Carroll, the Seahawks’ lone authority on injury information, does not talk to the media on Thursdays. He’s next scheduled to following practice on Friday.
Defensive tackle Jarran Reed missed practice a day after being limited by a newly listed oblique-muscle injury. Reed has a career-best 6 1/2 sacks in 13 games.
Rookie running back Rashaad Penny missed his second consecutive practice. Carroll said Penny has a knee injury he got while rushing for 44 yards Monday against the Vikings.
Right guard D.J. Fluker and defensive tackle Shamar Stephen were the third and fourth starters to miss practice Thursday. Fluker rode an exercise bike off to the side of the indoor practice field and was in his usual, joking manner while doing it in the 20 minutes open to the media at the start of drills.
Jordan Simmons would make his third career start and third in a month at right guard for Fluker if Fluker can’t play again on Sunday.
The good injury news for Seattle: The team got four starters practicing on a limited basis one day after they missed drills.
Doug Baldwin moved well and did more in the part of practice open to the media, compared to the day before. He missed the Minnesota game with his second groin injury in three weeks. The 30-year-old Pro Bowl wide receiver has missed his first 3 1/2 games in six years this season because of knee, elbow and groin injuries.
Baldwin has just two touchdown catches this season; he co-led the NFL with 14 in 2015. Without him on Monday Wilson had the fewest yards passing (72) and lowest passer rating (37.9) of his career.
But signs are increasing that Baldwin will play on Sunday at the 49ers.
K.J. Wright practiced on a limited basis. The Pro Bowl outside linebacker is trying to return from a slowed recovery from knee surgery in August. Carroll has said Wright may still be a couple weeks away from playing again.
Bradley McDougald practiced after missing Wednesday. The starting strong safety has played through a knee issue for much of this season. The team made him available to speak to the media in each of a the last two days, usually a dependable sign he will play on Sunday.
Defensive end Dion Jordan practiced on a limited basis. He’s had knee issues for three years but started Monday night against Minnesota.
Lead running back Chris Carson and left tackle Duane Brown returned to fully practicing. Both took a rest day Wednesday.
This week’s injury report has more starters on it because the team has one fewer day of healing after the Monday night game. It’s not unusual for many veterans to be hurting into the third and fourth days following any game in this violent sport. This week, those third and fourth days are not Wednesday-Thursday but Thursday-Friday, so the healing of some may not be enough to have them ready to play this week until Saturday.
This story was originally published December 13, 2018 at 5:01 PM.
