RENTON -- The Seahawks will get a pair of reinforcements back for Thursday night's game against the Arizona Cardinals while waiting to see if a few more will be able to ultimately play or not.
Running back Carlos Hyde and defensive end Benson Mayowa are both set to return to action after missing the last three games due to injuries. Hyde injured his hamstring in the first meeting with the Cardinals last month while Mayowa suffered a high-ankle sprain in the same game.
Wide receiver Tyler Lockett, center Kyle Fuller and running back Chris Carson are all listed as questionable to play. However, head coach Pete Carroll stated pretty clearly that he expected Lockett and Fuller to be ready to go. Carson is less certain.
Hyde wasn't listed on the final injury report of the week, indicating he is expected to play against the Cardinals. Meanwhile, Carson was only able to be limited in practice on Tuesday and will be a game-time call.
"They did make it through the week," head coach Pete Carroll said. "Carlos looked strong throughout. Chris we're going to wait until tomorrow to figure out what we're doing with it but he did practice and looked good in all of the stuff that he did. So we're real close with Chris, feeling really good that Carlos will be out there."
Carson sustained a mid-foot sprain in the first meeting against Arizona.
Hyde returning to the lineup will be a boost for Seattle as backup Travis Homer is doubtful to play due to a hand injury. Homer was injured on the opening kickoff of the second half of last week's loss to the Los Angeles Rams and did not return to the game.
"He's pretty sore still and the short week didn't help him at all. We'll have to see. It will be hard for him to get out there," Carroll said.
Assuming Homer and Carson don't play, that would leave Seattle will Hyde and DeeJay Dallas at running back. Alex Collins, who has come up from the practice squad the last two weeks and started last week's game, is not eligible for a free promotion from the practice squad. If he were to be promoted he would have to go on waivers after the game as teams only get two free promotions from the practice squad per player. That could make Bo Scarbrough the likely promotion candidate for Thursday night's game instead.
At center, Pocic's absence for a second week due to a concussion combined with Fuller's high-ankle sprain leaves Seattle is a bit of a pickle. Fuller didn't practice during the week but Carroll said he will be available to play.
"He's going to be ready to go in the game and we'll see how good he is on game day but he went through all of the prep on the sides," Carroll said. "We rested him all week in the short week. He did a really nice job first time out and so he will be ready if we need him.
"He handled it really well. He played the game and finished the game and he was really tough about it. He's had a high-ankle sprain before which always helps these guys understand what they're up against and he's just going to tough it out. He did in the game, which we're really proud of him for pulling off like he did. He's just going to tough it out."
The "if we need him" part of the quote is curious. They absolutely do need him with Pocic truly out. However, Carroll could be indicating that Fuller won't actually make the start against Arizona. Carroll said Monday that Jamarco Jones is the third-string center and Phil Haynes, who was activated from injured reserve on Wednesday, can also play the position. They could decide to start either Jones or Haynes at the spot and only play Fuller "if we need him." It will be something to watch for tomorrow night.
Pocic has made progress from concussion but didn't have time to clear the league's protocol process.
"He hasn't finished that protocol, yet. As far as I know. But it's way better. It's just the short week didn't give him a chance," Carroll said.
The team placed cornerback Neiko Thorpe back on injured reserve on Wednesday to activate Haynes. Thorpe had a sports hernia that was reaggravated in the loss to the Rams on Sunday. Meanwhile, Haynes has spent the entire season on injured reserve.
"Phil's been playing guard for us and he can play center also so he's kind of a utility guy as he works his way back in," Carroll said. "He's had a good return. We're really excited for him. He's been out for quite a while with last year as well at times. It's good to get him back out and get him competing. But it's a good, healthy body, strong ready to go and he's ready to jump in if we need him."
Lockett appeared on the injury report with a knee injury after Sunday's loss to the Rams. Carroll said they didn't believe the injury was significant and that Lockett had an MRI to determine the extent of the issue. While he didn't guarantee it, Carroll was supremely confident that Lockett would play against the Cardinals.
"He worked well today. He looked fine. ... I don't think there's any doubt that he's playing. He just looked too good on the practice field today. I would say this though, we do have to see how he is after today. That's an unknown right now. As much as I'd like to be optimistic about it, which I am, We do have to see what, if anything, happens coming off the work he had.
"He looked too good today. He was light on his feet and moving around and bopping pretty good. We had to hold him back today. He wanted to practice the whole thing. We held him out a little bit."
Cornerbacks Shaquill Griffin (hamstring) and Quinton Dunbar (knee) have been ruled out. Backup guard Jordan Simmons (calf) is also out for Thursday night's game.
Rashaad Penny (PUP) and Darrell Taylor (NFI) nearing return to practice:
The Seahawks could be getting some more help back on the field for the first time this season here shortly.
Running back Rashaad Penny and rookie defensive end Darrell Taylor are both closing in on a return to practice after missing the first three months of the season with injury rehabilitations.
"We're getting to the verge of those guys coming back now," Carroll said. "Both guys are running hard, they're working hard, they're wearing out the trainers. They just have to kind of close in on it right now, close in on being absolutely ready to do football movements and football reactions and things like that. We'll see here how it goes."
Penny is working back from a torn ACL and additional knee damage sustained in a loss to the Rams early last December. He's been on the physically unable to perform list for Seattle. Taylor had surgery after last college football season to address stress fractures in his right leg that hindered his senior season at Tennessee. He's been on the non-football injury list.
"It's really week-to-week as we evaluate it," Carroll said. "These guys are ready to go and we're a week away or two weeks away probably from something happening here with these guys. Would love to see those guys come back and be a part of next week even possibly. We'll have to wait and see what happens and we're really going to do a nice job of making sure we don't rush it. I know it's been quite a while but now that we're down to it we've got to make really good choice and decisions as we finish (the rehab) off."
Once the players return to practice they can take part for three weeks before the team will need to add them back to the active roster or end their seasons.
Injury Report:
Photo Credit: GLENDALE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 25: Carlos Hyde #30 of the Seattle Seahawks scores a rushing touchdown during the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 25, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)