Ten Seahawks return to practice, including Marquise Blair and D.J. Reed to reclaim jobs
Ten players who have been out because of injuries were back practicing for the Seahawks Tuesday. They joined in the team’s preparations for its preseason finale Saturday against the Los Angeles Chargers. It will be the tune-up for veterans before the opener in 2 1/2 weeks.
The returnees Tuesday included: cornerback D.J. Reed (with an eye on the starting job on the right side he had to end 2020), center Ethan Pocic, safety and nickel defensive back Marquise Blair, fill-in left tackles Jamarco Jones and Cedric Ogbuehi, backup quarterback Geno Smith, wide receiver Penny Hart, running back Travis Homer (off the physically-unable-to-perform list), tight end Tyler Mabry and undrafted rookie middle linebacker Jon Rhattigan from Army West Point.
“This was a really good day of this week to see a bunch of guys come back to work and get on the field that haven’t been there,” Carroll said.
“It’s really good to feel those guys come back and get in the flow of things and for some of these guys it’s to get a few days under their belts to see when they can get back to competing and battle for their spots. Just felt good to see them out. That’s a nice deal.”
It may be too late for some to start the opener when Seattle plays at Indianapolis Sept. 12.
Pocic was the first-team center in some group drills. He was on what Carroll called “a pitch count,” to ensure he doesn’t do too much too soon and injure his hamstring for a third time this summer. He had missed all but four days of training camp with a hamstring injury he re-injured trying to get back early this month. Kyle Fuller, who has one career start at the position (last November at the Los Angeles Rams, when Pocic was out with a concussion) has been the starter all month.
Has Fuller, whom Seattle moved from guard back to his college position at Baylor this offseason, shown and done enough in training camp to be the starting center in the opener?
”Oh yes he could. He could easily be the starting center for us,” Carroll said, “and we’d feel very good about that.”
Carroll didn’t totally rule out Pocic from consideration for the job he had last season, his first as center after three years as a backup tackle and guard for Seattle. Pocic played center in college at LSU before the Seahawks drafted him in the second round in 2017.
The team let his contract expire with the end of last season. After a couple days shopping he re-signed with Seattle for one season and $3 million. That short term suggest the Seahawks value him as a swing tackle and guard on both sides of the line than perhaps a starting center.
Fuller has had some difficulties pass blocking while as the only starter on the offensive line in the first two preseason games, particularly in the first one at Las Vegas two weeks ago.
Yet Carroll is publicly sticking by him.
Carroll didn’t outright declare Fuller the starter. But the coach made it sound more like Fuller than Pocic starting to begin the season.
“(H)e didn’t have a chance to compete at the spot like he would like to have,” Carroll said, noticeably using past tense to describe Pocic’s bid. “Kyle has had a really good camp with us and has done everything every step of the way and done a beautiful job for us.
“But that was going to be a really nose-to-nose battle. We were going to even up those reps and see what’s going to happen at the end of the fight and know that we are generating a really good competitive spot. So, it didn’t work out that way.”
Of Saturday’s game against the Chargers, Carroll said: “If we could get (Pocic) some play time we’d like to do that. I don’t know if it will happen or not.”
Homer was the team’s third-down running back. And he may still be, because he’s the best pass blocker on the roster.
But second-year man DeeJay Dallas has asserted himself as a receiver out of the backfield and on kickoff returns in Homer’s absence.
Carroll didn’t make it sound as if Homer’s roster spot is in jeopardy; the team must cut from 80 to 53 players for the first roster of the regular season by next Tuesday, Aug. 31.
“I’m really excited about him coming back. He’s different than the other guys. He runs different, he has his own style,” Carroll said of Homer. “He’s really downhill. He’s really fast. He’s such a tough football player on special teams, and on every aspect of our team. Everything we’ve ever asked of him he’s done physically right. He gives you kind of a different mode.
“I’m anxious to see if we can get him back here and he can feel comfortable and get him through the week and see where he fits. We know he can contribute to our team. We know he’s a good football player. We love his toughness and all the versatility he brings. He’s a really good pass protector, as well. He’s got a lot of positives.”
Jones returned last week two of three practice days to fill in at as the starting left tackle while Duane Brown continues his hold in wanting a new contract. If Jones, the team’s 2018 draft pick, proves ready to play Saturday against the Chargers Wilson may start. Wilson has stayed out while rookie sixth-round pick Stone Forsythe has started at left tackle in the first two preseason games.
This story was originally published August 25, 2021 at 6:58 AM.
