RENTON — Though again listed as limited in practice Wednesday, DK Metcalf said his knee “is good.”
That may mean the big story of last week — would Metcalf be able to recover from a scary knee injury suffered on Oct. 23 against the Chargers in Los Angeles? — may be a non-story this week.
Metcalf held his weekly news conference Wednesday, something he didn’t do last week when it was unclear if he could play against the Giants.
Metcalf made it back well enough to start, play 40 snaps and catch six passes, including his third touchdown of the season.
Wednesday, he said it was never really a question in his mind that he would play, despite being carted off the field in Los Angeles with a patella tendon injury.
“I told myself I was going to play and I don’t try to put negative thoughts in my head, because when I say I’m going to do something I’m going to do it,” Metcalf said. “I just had to convince Pete (Carroll) and everybody else that I was going to play, because they were trying to protect me at all costs.”
The Seahawks did try to not overuse Metcalf as his snaps were down about 20% from a usual game.
Via Pro Football Focus, he ran routes on 29 of his 40 snaps, and was targeted on 10 of those. That limited his run-blocking snaps to just 11.
On one of those, Metcalf helped clear the way for Kenneth Walker III’s game-clinching 16-yard TD run in the fourth quarter when he deked Giants cornerback Adoree Jackson into thinking a pass was coming his way.
A widely-viewed video of Metcalf shows he twice faked as if reaching for a pass as he raced to the back of the end zone, with Jackson once reacting to defend it.
That cleared out the left side of the field that much more to give Walker space to get into the end zone.
“Just having fun on the football field,” Metcalf said, saying it’s something he used to do in high school.
As Metcalf noted, he often has to throw a block, but on this play, his job was to run a route and clear the area giving him some ability to improvise.
“The receivers have a big part in the running game and it’s not always the blocks,” Carroll said. “They have to recognize what the situation is, how they can get their guy and eliminate him from the play. (Offensive coordinator) Shane (Waldron) has been talking about how it takes all 11 to run the football; everybody has to be a part of it, and contribute. That’s a good illustration. We love seeing that, pointing that out and making a big deal about it.”
What was Jackson’s reaction? Metcalf laughed and said Jackson told him, “'(expletive) you.’ He said it jokingly after Ken scored.”
Carroll happy with cornerback depth
Carroll said the decision to waive cornerback Sidney Jones IV, a former UW standout, came in part because of the team’s depth at cornerback, which he said will only get better as players return from injury.
Specifically, Carroll said Tre Brown will be “practicing full go this week,” and seemed to indicate there’s a chance Brown would be elevated to the active roster this week. Brown returned to practice last week having been on the Physically Unable to Perform list since the beginning of camp while recovering from knee surgery last year. The Seahawks have two more weeks to activate Brown.
Carroll also said Isaiah Dunn, who was placed on IR on Oct. 22 with a hamstring injury, could be back in a week. And Artie Burns, who has played just one game all year — Oct. 9 against the Saints — is also “primed and ready.”
They have settled on a starting trio of right corner Tariq Woolen, left corner Michael Jackson and nickel corner Coby Bryant.
All of that made Jones, who had $40,000 per game in active roster bonuses in his one-year contract, expendable. Jones was placed on waivers Wednesday.
“We have really good depth right now; maybe better than we’ve had,” Carroll said.
Marquise Goodwin, Darrell Taylor sit out
Just two Seahawks sat out practice Wednesday — WR Marquise Goodwin (groin) and DE Darrell Taylor (groin).
Taylor played just three snaps against the Giants, and his status for this week is unclear.
Eight others were limited including Metcalf and fellow receiver Tyler Lockett (hamstring/ribs). WR Penny Hart (hamstring) was limited, but Carroll said there’s a chance he plays this week.
Also limited were G Gabe Jackson (hip/knee), C Austin Blythe (knee), LB Jordyn Brooks (ankle), S Ryan Neal (ankle) and TE Noah Fant (hamstring).
Blythe was injured in the first half against the Giants but returned, though he was limited to 15 snaps, with Kyle Fuller playing the rest at center. Carroll said Blythe being able to practice at all is “a real positive for us.”
Not on the report is fullback/linebacker Nick Bellore, who did not play against the Giants because of a concussion. He is expected back this week.