Seahawks mid-week injury updates: Joeckel out a month
By Lee Vowell
The Seahawks are starting to have injury concerns. This is still better than what the Green Bay Packers are having to deal with. But screw it! We are 12s and Cliff Avril is more important to us than Aaron Rodgers!
Luke Joeckel
So, Joeckel. The Seahawks left guard will now be out, according to coach Pete Carroll, 4-5 weeks. Or the biggest part of the middle of the season. Or more scarily, Carroll said, “We’re going to be optimistic that he can make it back in four or five weeks and we’ll see what happens.” Optimistic? Ugh. Seattle signed two higher priced free agents this offseason: Joeckel and Eddie Lacy. Both to one year deals. Neither appears to need to get another contract with Seattle at this point.
Not that Joeckel has been terrible. He hasn’t. Next to center Justin Britt, he has been the Seahawks second best lineman. But he costs too much and has a history of injuries. Last week he had surgery on his already surgically repaired knee. This does not bode well.
Cliff Avril
Avril is still out with a neck injury he suffered against the Indianapolis Colts. In fact, depending on the severity, and honestly what Avril wants to risk, he could be out for a very long time, if not forever. On Tuesday, Carroll said, “I can’t say anything to you today — maybe next couple of days we’ll know more.” Not a great sign.
Michael Bennett
Another Seattle defensive end, Bennett, suffered a plantar fascia injury against the Los Angeles Rams. Bennett did not take part in Seahawks practice on Tuesday. And he shouldn’t have. I have had this kind of injury before. The only way it really gets better is rest. Bennett can play through it, possibly, in games but there is no reason for him to have to practice at this point. Carroll said he thinks Bennett can play Sunday.
The NFI and PUPers
DeShawn Shead, Malik McDowell and Dion Jordan will return to practice this week. But there is no timetable for any of them to return.
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My guess is that McDowell does not play at all in 2017. Shead will be back in four weeks. And Jordan never plays a down with Seattle. Again, just my guess.