Quandre Diggs full go is huge for Seahawks’ playoff opener. But Jadeveon Clowney still out
The Seahawks’ two most pressing health issues are going in opposite directions.
Quandre Diggs practiced fully on Thursday for the first time since he got a high-ankle sprain in the team’s win at Carolina Dec. 15. That’s the best sign yet the key free safety who has transformed Seattle’s defense will play Sunday in the NFC wild-card playoff game at Philadelphia.
“It feels good. Excited to get to practice with my guys again,” the 26-year-old Diggs said of his first practicing in three weeks. “You always miss these aspects of playing a game and practicing. You miss those things when they’re taken away from you.
“Like I tweeted out, God is great. We good.”
But Jadeveon Clowney is not.
He missed practice for the second consecutive day. The Seahawks’ top defensive end is trying to play through a core-muscle injury that he had a specialist hold off on surgery for until after this season. The three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher hasn’t been the same since his dominant night Nov. 11 in the Seahawks’ win at San Francisco. Clowney got hurt in that game.
“He’s doing the best he can so he’s ready to go again,” coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday.
Right now, that means staying out of practices. Clowney again watched without a helmet as his teammates worked on Thursday. The hope is to quiet the muscle injury in his abdomen all this week enough for him to gut, literally, through another game Sunday.
Last week, Clowney was a limited practice participant then played in the NFC West title game against the 49ers. He was far less effective than in his previous game against San Francisco.
Clowney has not practiced on a Thursday five times this season. He has gone on to play in that week’s game two such times after not practicing Thursday.
Expect the Seahawks to list Clowney as questionable on Friday when they issue their injury report for the Eagles game.
It’s increasingly unlikely Pro Bowl veteran left tackle Duane Brown will play at Philadelphia. The Seahawks seem to be preserving the 34-year-old’s knees and biceps injuries he’s had most of this season in hopes he could be ready for a divisional playoff game next week, if favored Seattle (11-5) gets past the Eagles (9-7) to get that far.
Left guard Mike Iupati has not practiced this week because of a nerve issue in his neck. With reserve Ethan Pocic going back on injured reserve this week, Jamarco Jones and Kyle Fuller, promoted from the practice squad, could be options at guard if Iupati can’t rally to play Sunday.
Center Joey Hunt went from missing practice Wednesday to limited but practicing Thursday. He’s had a fibula injury for weeks. It appears the replacement for Justin Britt, who is on injured reserve, will play against the Eagles. Fuller has played at center in the past and could if Hunt can’t.
Wide receiver Malik Turner remained out with a concussion he got two games ago in the home loss to Arizona. It’s looking like Turner will not play in Philadelphia. And with Jaron Brown out multiple weeks with a sprained knee, rookie seventh-round pick John Ursua may have his largest role yet.
This story was originally published January 2, 2020 at 4:48 PM.
