Jamal Adams out again for Seahawks. Geno Smith will start. Walker, Witherspoon iffy
Jamal Adams will not be with the Seahawks again this weekend. He will not play at Tennessee.
Kenneth Walker is trending to play Sunday. Devon Witherspoon is trending not to.
And Julian Love is remaining in the Seattle area on baby watch.
Adams was not on the team’s flight to Nashville Friday afternoon. Coach Pete Carroll said the three-time Pro Bowl safety did not need to be in Tennessee this weekend because the Seahawks (7-7) have declared Adams out for its game Sunday against the Titans (5-9).
Geno Smith is full go to start Sunday after missing one game because of a strained groin. His coach said Smith just had the best Friday practice for a quarterback “I can remember.”
Smith is not listed on the injury report. The starting quarterback was full go for the third consecutive practice after he watched backup Drew Lock start for him and lead Seattle’s late-game rally past Philadelphia Monday night.
“You could tell, because he laid off a little bit, he’s spunky and strong and in good shape and moving around great,” Carroll said.
Walker is questionable with a new shoulder issue that kept Seattle’s lead running back out of practices Wednesday and Thursday.
Carroll said Walker looked good in his first practice of the week Friday, and that he expects Walker to play at Tennessee.
Seattle’s lead running back has been playing through an oblique injury and then banged his shoulder apparently Monday night while rushing 19 times for 86 yards in the Seahawks’ 20-17 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Carroll sounded less optimistic about Witherspoon playing Sunday. He hasn’t practiced this week. The standout rookie cornerback is questionable for Sunday with a hip pointer that caused him to miss the Seahawks’ last game Monday against Philadelphia. The fifth pick in this year’s NFL draft was on the side watching the start of practice Friday, without a helmet.
The Seahawks also have a new issue at center. Starter Evan Brown is questionable with a new illness and was away from the team facility Friday. He was scheduled to join the Seahawks for their flight to Tennessee, Carroll said.
Rookie Olu Oluwatimi could make his second NFL start if Brown isn’t better by Sunday.
Left cornerback Tre Brown is questionable with the heel issue he’s had for a couple weeks. Brown started Seattle’s last game against the Eagles after he missed the previous one at San Francisco.
Carroll said Brown is “doing fine” and had a good practice Friday. That’s an indication he will start again at cornerback with Witherspoon seeming unlikely to play.
Carroll would not say whether Mike Jackson will start a second consecutive game for benched Riq Woolen at the cornerback opposite Brown Sunday. The coach said only that the competition continues between Jackson and Woolen, who’s had issues with tackling, penalties and assignments.
In Nashville, the Titans listed starting quarterback Will Levis questionable to play Sunday. He has a sprained ankle. The rookie was a limited participant in Tennessee’s practice Friday. He missed practices there Wednesday and Thursday.
Veteran Ryan Tannehill likely would start if Levis can’t Sunday.
Adams hasn’t practiced the last two weeks because of knee pain coach Pete Carroll said the team is trying to manage.
Carroll said the Seahawks have considered possibly shutting down Adams for the remainder of the season. Seattle has two games left in the regular season after Sunday. So far, Adams has wanted to continue trying to get back to playing, Carroll said.
The coach and Adams talked Thursday about the likelihood of Adams returning to play some time this season, Carroll said.
The Titans game will be the third one Adams has missed since his season debut Oct. 2. That was after his 13-month recovery from a torn quadriceps tendon from September 2022.
Adams did not appear to be on the field for the start of practice open to the media Friday. He hasn’t been on the field for the start of any of the team’s three practices this week. He did not practice last week, either. Carroll and the Seahawks then decided to leave Adams inactive for their 20-17 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles Monday night. After that decision, Adams was not in the stadium for the game.
With Adams inactive for the second time since his season debut Oct. 2, Julian Love played all 69 defensive snaps next to fellow safety Quandre Diggs. Love had two key interceptions of Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts in the fourth quarter. The league named him NFC defensive player of the week.
Julian Love baby watch
Love was not on the team flight to Tennessee Friday. He remained in Seattle because he and his wife are awaiting the birth of their baby.
“As far as we know, we don’t have a baby yet. So we don’t know about Julian,” Carroll said Friday. “But Julian will not be traveling with the team. He will be traveling otherwise (when he can).”
Carroll said if the baby is not born, Love will do “whatever he has to do. He has to take care of his wife and baby.”
Coby Bryant has been practicing all week at safety with Adams out and Love away.
This story was originally published December 22, 2023 at 1:42 PM.
