Seattle Seahawks will be thin at cornerback again in Week 17

The Seattle Seahawks have been plagued by key injuries more in 2021 than most other recent years. It’s one thing to lose a running back or four (seemingly the usual for Seattle every season) but this season Seattle lost Russell Wilson for a stretch and Jamal Adams late in the year and Chris Carson really early in the year.

Have these injuries had anything to do with Seattle’s lost season? Maybe. Maybe not. Coaching has been an issue too to be fair.

Entering Week 17 against the Detroit Lions, however, Seattle is a relatively healthy team except on one very important unit: Offensive line. Seattle only has one injured player listed as out, linebacker Jon Rhattigan.

But there was a safe assumption that Brandon Shell would miss Week 17 and likely the final game in Week 18 too. Shell has had a shoulder injury and may have played his last game in Seattle as Shell is a free agent after this year.

Seattle Seahawks inactive Week 17 versus Lions

In Week 17, Seattle will once again sit backup quarterback Jacob Eason (I think he is on the team to basically take up an inactive spot every week at this point). Shell is also definitely out. The other three Seahawks who will miss Week 17 are running back Alex Collins (this is a Rashaad Penny team at this point anyway), defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche and offensive lineman Dakoda Shepley.

Damien Lewis, Sidney Jones and Bless Austin are on the COVID-19 list and will also likely miss Sunday versus the Lions. Seattle will have D.J. Reed but will again be really thin at cornerback. John Reid will likely start opposite Reed.

Detroit is a good running team (or at least they will stick with it) so maybe cornerback won’t be an issue against the Lions. Lions quarterback Jared Goff will be inactive for Detriot as well.