Seahawks linebacker Mychal Kendricks officially done for the season

The Seahawks moved linebacker Mychal Kendricks to Injured Reserve on Wednesday and promoted offensive tackle Chad Wheeler from the practice squad.

Seahawks linebacker Mychal Kendricks might have played his last down as a member of the Seattle football team. Signed as a free agent in 2018, Kendricks has been a solid player for Seattle and his talent actually got Seattle to start playing a 4-3 base again. But Kendricks injured his knee and has now been placed on Injured Reserve.

Kendricks missed weeks 14 and 15 with a different injury and missed 8 games in 2018 due to a suspension for insider trading. He missed this past Sunday’s game because he tore his ACL in the regular season finale against the 49ers. Kendricks was re-signed this offseason but for just one season so he will be an unrestricted free agent when the new fiscal year begins.

Rookie Cody Barton played the SAM linebacker in Kendricks’ absence and has not been bad. He hasn’t exactly been as good as Kendricks was for most of the season but a lot of that might simply be from Barton’s inexperience. Likely, the Seahawks will choose Barton to be Kendricks’ full-time replacement and not bring Kendricks back.

Seattle promoted left tackle Chad Wheeler from the practice squad. The move gives Seattle 11 offensive linemen on their 53-man roster for this week’s Packers game. This might mean that Seattle thinks starting left tackle Duane Brown won’t be available for Green Bay. Or that Seattle has had so many injuries on the offensive line they simply aren’t taking any chances.

Coach Pete Carroll did say on Wednesday that Brown had been doing “some work” but not practicing. He sounded optimistic that Brown could return to play this week again a good defensive front for the Packers. But then, when does Carroll not sound optimistic about things?