RENTON — Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game in Los Angeles against the Chargers and considered a game-day decision.
But it sounds as if coach Pete Carroll is counting on Lockett playing — as he has for all but two regular-season games since Lockett joined the Seahawks in 2015.
Lockett did not practice all week because of a hamstring injury, after missing a day of practice last week because of the same injury. But Lockett rallied to play against Arizona, and Carroll seems to expect he’ll do so again against the Chargers.
“His chances are really good at playing,” Carroll said. “We just put him on ice to make sure that he can get stronger through these last two weeks. He was a little bit hampered last week, but he made it through, and so we’re just trying to be careful with him. If there’s anybody in the program that we can do this with, he could do it. So we’ll see. I’m not going to know until game day.”
Lockett missed the last game of the season in 2016 — and two playoff games — after suffering a broken leg. And he missed one game last year because of COVID-19.
Otherwise, Lockett has been one of the team’s most durable players, playing in 117 of 119 possible games since 2015.
If Lockett is limited, it would put more of an onus on second-year receiver Dee Eskridge to continue to play as he did last week, when he had season highs with three receptions for 39 yards despite playing just 13 snaps.
Eskridge, who missed practice Friday to attend the birth of his child, had just three catches for 16 yards in the first five games, having battled a hamstring injury throughout training camp and the preseason.
Carroll said he thinks last week indicated the Seahawks will soon see the player they expected to get when they drafted Eskridge 56th overall in 2021.
“He’s really stepping up,” Carroll said of Eskridge, who played in just 10 games last year because of a concussion. “It’s changing. The game is looking different to him right now, and the way he’s performing in practice and in the games he’s steadily moving upward. And he’s got terrific talent. We’ve just got to get him out there and make sure that we can keep him on the field and keep him where he can be a threat.”
Seahawks thin at cornerback
The only player listed as out for the Seahawks is backup cornerback Isaiah Dunn (hamstring). But two other cornerbacks are also on the report — Artie Burns (groin) as doubtful and Sidney Jones IV (groin) as questionable.
That leaves the Seahawks with four healthy cornerbacks — starters Tariq Woolen and Michael Jackson, nickel corner Coby Bryant and Justin Coleman.
They could elevate Xavier Crawford off the practice squad for depth.
Jones played 11 snaps last week subbing in for Jackson at left cornerback for two series. ESPN reported this week that the Seahawks would also consider trade offers for Jones, a former UW standout who the Seahawks acquired in a trade with Jacksonville last year.
Jones had not been on the injury report this week before Friday and was added after Carroll spoke to the media.
He was listed as a limited participant in Friday’s practice.
Irvin, Collier available
Carroll said outside linebacker Bruce Irvin and defensive lineman L.J. Collier are ready to play if needed.
Collier, the team’s first-round pick in 2019, returned to practice this month from injured reserve following an elbow injury suffered in the last preseason game. He suffered a thumb injury in practice last week that limited his time.
But Carroll said he made it through the week, “and he’s available to us if we can do that.” Seattle would have to activate Collier to the 53-man roster in order for him to play Sunday — the Seahawks have only 52 on the roster, so it would be easy to do. But they could wait until next week to activate Collier.
They also could elevate Irvin off the practice squad to add depth at outside linebacker.
The Seahawks signed Irvin last week, and Carroll said now that Irvin has had a full week of practice that “we’re thinking that he’s ready to play.”
Irvin also said it was good that he didn’t try to play last week against Arizona adding the full week of practice this week “helped me a lot being that I’m older [now 34] and haven’t played since January. That first week of me just running around and me getting back used to just getting off the ball and hand placement really helped me a lot.”
The Seahawks elevated Christian Jones off the practice squad three of the past four weeks to add depth at OLB. But players can be elevated off the practice squad only three times in a season before having to be signed to the 53-man roster.
Notes
- The Seahawks listed guard Gabe Jackson (knee/hip) as doubtful, pointing to Phil Haynes getting a second consecutive start on the right side.
- The Chargers listed receiver Keenan Allen (hamstring) as questionable, with coach Brandon Staley telling reporters Friday he will be a game-time decision. Allen has not played since Week 1. The Chargers have a bye next week, and Allen said he could take that into consideration in deciding whether to try to play. “If he’s playing he helps them enormously,” Carroll said.
- The Seahawks listed receiver Penny Hart (hamstring) as doubtful. He also sat out last week. If Hart can’t go, the Seahawks could elevate a receiver off the practice squad to assure they have enough depth, or rely again on rookie Dareke Young, who played for the second time last week against Arizona. They have four WRs on the practice squad — former WSU player Easop Winston, who was signed this week, and Cade Johnson, Bo Melton and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside.