Seattle Seahawks: Time to get healthy for stretch run

The Seattle Seahawks escaped Santa Clara without any major injuries. Now they have just one game in 22 days. It is time for the Seahawks to get fully healthy and ready to make a run at playoffs.

The Thursday game means that the Seahawks have 10 days before they take on the Cowboys next week. They then have Week 9 off for their bye week. Before the Seahawks take the field against the Cardinals in Week 10, they’ll have had just one game in a period of 22 days.

The Seahawks have been dealing with a number of injuries in recent weeks. Right tackle Gary Gilliam was rotated in and out of the lineup as he dealt with a sore ankle. Running back Fred Jackson has also been dealing with a sore ankle. This time off will help the two of them get fully healthy.

They’ve already gotten Frank Clark, Tye Smith and Bobby Wagner back from injuries. All three played against the 49ers and didn’t have any limitations.

Cornerback Marcus Burley and defensive tackle Jordan Hill will also be back in the next week or so. Both have missed the last two games because of injuries. Burley broke his thumb, and Hill had a fairly serious ankle injury.

That means that the Seahawks will be back at full strength and ready for the second half of the season. To be fully healthy this late in the season is extremely rare in the NFL, and it should help this team do what they have to in order to get into the playoffs.

The Seahawks will also get wide receiver Paul Richardson back from the PUP list. He tore his ACL in the playoffs last season. Richardson was eligible to start practicing last week, but the Seahawks didn’t want to burn one of his practice weeks for a walkthrough prior to a Thursday night game.

Richardson will be moved to the exempt list this week and will begin practicing. By the time the Seahawks return from their bye to take on the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10, Richardson will be back on the active roster.

Richardson will likely be eased back into the rotation as he carves himself out a role in this year’s squad. Last season he had slowly taken snaps away from Jermaine Kearse until becoming the team’s No. 2 receiver late in the year. How Richardson will fit into a rotation that now includes Jimmy Graham and Tyler Lockett remains to be seen.

Overall, all this time off will be good for the Seahawks. They’ll end up healthy and ready to run off some wins in the second half of the season.

Next: Seahawks poised to make a deadline trade?

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