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Seahawks injury outlook: When key players could return – Seattle Sports

Seahawks injury outlook: When key players could return – Seattle Sports

The Seattle Seahawks’ bye week comes at a good time this year.

Why McDonald thinks the Seahawks are ready to turn the corner

After losing five of their last six games, the Seahawks (4-5) now have an extra week to regroup and make adjustments before beginning the second half of their season. They also have an extra week to prepare for the pivotal Week 11 divisional clash in San Francisco on Nov. 17.

And perhaps most importantly, they have a chance to rest and potentially bring back some key players for the extended period.

With Seattle’s bye week now underway, here’s what we know about the team’s injured players and when they could potentially return.

NOTES: Players on injured reserve must sit out at least four games before returning. Additionally, once a player is designated to return to practice from injured reserve or physically unable to make a roster, the team has a 21-day window to activate that player to the 53-man roster.

• WR DK Metcalf (knee): Metcalf has missed the past two games after spraining his MCL while trying to make a leaping catch down the sideline against Atlanta in Week 7. The star wide receiver has yet to return to practice. Last Friday, MacDonald said Metcalf was “week-to-week.” On Monday, MacDonald said the team was confident Metcalf could return after the bye week, but did not guarantee it. “We’re working on it and he’s doing everything he can to get back as soon as possible, but the extra week will definitely help,” McDonald said.

• RT Abraham Lucas (knee): Lucas has been on the PUP list since mid-July as he recovers from January knee surgery. The Everett and WSU Cougars product returned to practice on Oct. 23, which marked the start of his 21-day window to be added to the active roster. When asked Monday, McDonald said “there’s a chance” Lucas could return to action in the Week 11 game against San Francisco. Lucas hasn’t played since Week 17 of last season.

• RT George Fant (knee): Fant started the season opener in place of Lucas, but suffered a knee injury in the first quarter that put him on injured reserve and sidelined him for the next seven games. Fant was activated from IR on Saturday and started Sunday’s game, but his return was short-lived as he reinjured his knee in the first quarter and missed the remainder of the contest. There was no update on MacDonald’s condition as of Monday morning.

• RT Stone Forsythe (hand): With Lucas and Fant sidelined, Forsythe started five games at right tackle before missing Week 7 against Atlanta with a hand injury. Forsythe was then placed on injured reserve on Oct. 23, meaning the earliest he could return is Week 13 against the Jets.

• TE Noah Fant (groin): Fant missed Sunday’s game after injuring his groin in practice last Wednesday. It was the sixth-year veteran’s first missed game since coming over from Denver as part of the Russell Wilson deal in 2022. “It’s going to be a while,” McDonald said Friday. “We don’t expect him to be on IR, but we’re not sure if he’ll be available after the bye right now.”

• OLB Uchenna Nwosu (hip): Nwosu suffered a knee injury in the preseason finale that sidelined him for the first four games. He returned for Week 5 against the Giants, but then suffered a “pretty intense quad strain” in the first half of that game, general manager John Schneider said on the Seahawks’ Oct. 10 pregame show on Seattle Sports. Nwosu was placed on IR the same day. McDonald is optimistic that Nwosu can return at some point this season. “Based on our people and the early initial assessments and where he is in his progress, we’re optimistic that we’ll get him back at some point,” McDonald said Friday.

• S Rayshawn Jenkins (hand): After playing every defensive snap in Seattle’s first six games, Jenkins underwent surgery to repair a hand injury and was placed on IR. McDonald said Friday that he expects Jenkins to return sometime this season. He is eligible to come off IR until Week 12 against Arizona.

• CB Artie Burns (finger): Burns began the season on the practice squad while dealing with a lingering toe injury suffered in the preseason finale. The veteran cornerback was activated to the 53-man roster before the Week 6 game against San Francisco, but re-aggravated his finger in the game and was placed on IR. He is eligible to return by Week 12 against Arizona.

• S K’Von Wallace (ankle): Wallace, a backup linebacker who has played 21 percent of Seattle’s defensive snaps this season, left Sunday’s game after suffering an ankle injury on a punt return late in the third quarter. After being assessed on the sidelines, he was taken off the field and called out. McDonald did not have any updates on his condition as of Monday morning.

• DT Cameron Young (knee): Young, a fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft, began the season on the PUP list with a knee injury and missed the first five games. He returned to play Week 6 against San Francisco, but only played three snaps. He has been sidelined since then and landed on IR Saturday as his knee injury continues to linger, McDonald said. Young will not be eligible to return until Week 14 against Arizona.

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