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Brady HendersonESPN
RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks have listed Chris Carson as questionable for Thursday night’s game against the Arizona Cardinals, but a source tells ESPN’s Adam Schefter that the starting running back is unlikely to play.
The good news for the Seahawks’ banged-up backfield is that Carlos Hyde (hamstring) will play for the first time since he and Carson (foot) were injured in Seattle’s overtime loss to Arizona in Week 7. The Seahawks (6-3) have been without their top two running backs since.
“They did make it through the week and Carlos looked strong throughout,” coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday. “Chris we’re going to wait until tomorrow to figure out what we’re doing with it, but he did practice and looked good in all the stuff that he did. So we’re real close with Chris. Feeling really good that Carlos will be out there.”
The Seahawks also expect to have wide receiver Tyler Lockett available against Arizona (6-3), a game Seattle needs to win to avoid its first three-game losing streak since 2011, the year before Russell Wilson‘s rookie season. Lockett is listed as questionable because of what Carroll described this week as “a bit of a knee sprain.” But Carroll said he doesn’t think there’s any doubt Lockett will play.
“He just looked too good on the practice field today,” Carroll said. “… We do have to see how he is after today. That’s an unknown right now. As much as I’d like to be optimistic about it, which I am, we do have to see what if anything happened coming off the work that he had.”
Lockett had the second-most prolific receiving game in franchise history when Seattle and Arizona played in Week 7. With Patrick Peterson neutralizing DK Metcalf, Lockett caught 15 passes on 20 targets for 200 yards and three touchdowns.
He was limited in Wednesday’s practice.
“He looked too good today,” Carroll said. “He was light on his feet, moving around and bopping pretty good. We had to hold him back today. He wanted to practice the whole thing. We held him out a little bit.”
Strong safety Jamal Adams was a full participant in all three practices this week and is expected to play despite injuring his shoulder last week.
The absences of Carson and Hyde the last three weeks have forced the Seahawks to turn to rookie DeeJay Dallas, Travis Homer and veteran Alex Collins. Seattle has averaged 4.04 yards per carry in that stretch (20th) after averaging 5.25 yards per carry over the first seven weeks (second). Collins, who’s on Seattle’s practice squad, hadn’t played in Week 9 for the first time since 2018.
Homer (wrist/knee/thumb) is listed as doubtful for Thursday night. Bo Scarbrough is also on Seattle’s practice squad if needed for game-day depth.
The Seahawks have injury issues at cornerback and center.
They ruled out starting corners Shaquill Griffin (hamstring) and Quinton Dunbar (knee) and placed backup Neiko Thorpe (core) back on injured reserve. Tre Flowers and D.J. Reed started last week.
Starting center Ethan Pocic is also out. His backup, Kyle Fuller is listed as questionable because of a high-ankle sprain he played through last week, but Carroll expects him to be available if needed. Jamarco Jones is Seattle’s No. 3 center. Guard Phil Haynes, just activated off IR, can also play center.
Carroll said Pocic is doing “way better” after missing last week with a concussion.
“It’s just the short week didn’t give him a chance,” Carroll said. “Kyle, he’s going to be ready to go in the game. We’ll see how good he is on game day. But he went through all of the prep on the sides. We rested him all week on a short week and he did a real nice job first time out and so he will be ready if we need him.”
The Seahawks also ruled out left guard Jordan Simmons (calf). He’s filled in for Mike Iupati, who is not listed with any game designation on Seattle’s injury report.