RENTON -- After finding themselves a bit thin on the offensive line last week in Cleveland, the Seahawks are now potentially short-handed at safety ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
Back spasms that surfaced Tuesday morning have kept Bradley McDougald from practicing all week for Seattle. Additionally, an elbow injury to Lano Hill will force him to miss this week's game against the Ravens. If neither McDougald or Hill are available to play, that puts rookie second-round pick Marquise Blair into the starting lineup instead.
"There's no question about his ability level, it's just getting acclimated," head coach Pete Carroll said of Blair. "He's had a really good week of practice. He's got a ton of work because of the situation with the safeties and so this is as ready as he can possibly be at this point right now so we're looking forward to him playing if that's the call."
The Seahawks are unsure if McDougald will be available. He's listed as questionable for the game, but could ultimately end up being fine to play if the back spasm symptoms subside.
"He's not right today, couldn't go today yet," Carroll said. "But this is the kind of thing... it's not an injury, it's more of a condition and he might be able to pop out of this. We'll see."
Meanwhile, Hill's elbow injury could take a few weeks to get sorted out.
"He's going to be out," Carroll said. "He's not going to make it. He will not make it. He's got a thing in his elbow that's going to take a couple weeks here for us before we know what we can do with it."
If Blair is starting alongside Tedric Thompson with McDougald and Hill out, the only reserve safety option at that point would be rookie Ugo Amadi. That would seem to be a situation Seattle would rather not risk finding themselves in, which means a promotion of Adrian Colbert from the practice squad could again be a likely option.
Both Duane Brown and D.J. Fluker are listed as questionable due to biceps and hamstring injuries, respectively. Brown has been unable to practice at all the last two weeks after aggravating his biceps injury against the Los Angeles Rams. Fluker has been able to practice on a limited basis the last two days and Carroll seemed more optimistic about his chances.
"Fluk practiced today. Duane did not but Fluk is looking pretty good and we'll see," Carroll said.
If Fluker appears capable of at least being active as a reserve, the Seahawks could waive guard Jordan Roos to free up a roster spot for Colbert's promotion. Carroll said earlier in the week that George Fant and Jamarco Jones would likely get the call to start for Brown and Fluker for the second straight week if the situation called for it.
Defensive end Ziggy Ansah is also questionable due to ankle injury sustained on his fumble recovery return last week in Cleveland. Ansah was pulled down from behind and had his ankle landed on by a Browns lineman.
"He was going to try to get out today and couldn't quite get out there today but he did some stuff," Carroll said. We're going to take him right up to game time. ... He got tangled up and twisted pretty good and they kind of fell on it. So he had a nasty little twist right in there."
Jarran Reed "ready to go" against Ravens:
The return of defensive tackle Jarran Reed to the lineup should be a big boost for the Seahawks this weekend.
"He's ready to go. He's ready to go and he wants to play the whole game. That's what he would like to do," Carroll said. "We'll look after him, take care of him and see how it goes, but he's done a marvelous job of preparing for this time, this opportunity. He didn't want to come in and have to take a few weeks to get acclimated and all that. He did not approach this like that at all. He didn't look like it. He's handled the work really well so we're just going to go play ball."
Reed came back to the Seahawks in terrific shape and stated clearly that he wants to play as much as possible against the Ravens on Sunday.
"I do. I worked my tail off to. I'm ready to go. I don't want him to hold me back," Reed said.
The Seahawks still need to make a move to add Reed to their active roster. However, tight end Will Dissly remains on the team's 53-man roster currently despite having surgery Thursday to address a torn left Achilles. Reed's activation coupled with a move of Dissly ton injured reserve would seem to be on the horizon shortly.
Injury Report:
Photo Credit: CARSON, CA - AUGUST 24: Rashaad Penny #20 of the Seattle Seahawks is lifted into the air by D.J. Fluker #78 after scoring a Touchdown while Will Dissly #88 joins the celebration of during a pre-season NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Dignity Health Sports Park on August 24, 2019 in Carson, California. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)