Seahawks Injury Report: Charles Cross Out, Riq Woolen Doubtful vs. Panthers
Going into Week 3 with a banged up roster, the Seattle Seahawks have ruled out tackle Charles Cross and cornerback Coby Bryant while listing seven players as questionable to play against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
Still recovering from a sprained big toe suffered in Seattle's season opener and called "day to day" by coach Pete Carroll on Wednesday, Cross didn't practice for a second straight week. With him sidelined, third-year tackle Stone Forsythe will replace him protecting Geno Smith's blindside across from fellow reserve Jake Curhan, who will fill in for Abraham Lucas on the right side.
"He’s very upbeat about it, feels way different than he did," Carroll said of Cross' progression after Friday's session. "He’s truly on the road to recovery, the treatment and the stuff they're doing is working, he knows, so he’s very confident about that. Next week will be interesting to see where he is, see how far he’s come back.”
As for Bryant, he missed the entire week of practice with his own toe injury, with Carroll acknowledging it was not the same toe that bothered him during the Seahawks offseason program this spring. In his absence, veteran Artie Burns should see the bulk of snaps in the slit cornerback role after being re-signed to the active roster from the practice squad earlier this week.
In addition to Cross and Bryant already being out, Seattle gave cornerback Riq Woolen and tight end Will Dissly doubtful designations, making it unlikely either will be able to play against Carolina. Woolen exited Sunday's win at Detroit with a chest injury and hasn't practiced this week, while Dissly also has been held out due to a sore shoulder, which led to signing tight end Brady Russell off Philadelphia's practice squad.
When asked for updates on both players, Carroll indicated Woolen is "getting really close" to being recovered, leaving the door slightly open for him to somehow be available this weekend. Dissly, on the other hand, is in the midst of rehab and doesn't sound like he will be available at all.
After having a whopping 11 players sidelined at Thursday's practice, the Seahawks have several notable starters on both sides of the ball listed as questionable, including safeties Quandre Diggs, Julian Love, and Jamal Adams.
Injuring his hamstring in Sunday's win at Detroit, Julian Love is one of three Seahawk safeties listed as questionable to play against the Panthers in Week 3.
Love has been nursing a sore hamstring coming out of Sunday's overtime win over the Lions and didn't practice on Wednesday or Thursday, but he was back in action on Friday in limited fashion. Diggs joined the injury report with his own hamstring injury on Thursday and remained out on Friday, while Adams jumped up to a full participant in practice as he draws closer to his anticipated return from a torn quad tendon.
When asked about the status of all three players, Carroll made it clear Diggs expects to be ready to play and sounded optimistic about Love being ready as well. Though Adams "practiced really well" and still could potentially play on Sunday, it sounds as if his debut may still be yet another week away.
"He’s as close as he can get to going. We’ll see how this winds up," Carroll said of Adams. "He’ll be in the middle of it next week for sure. I’m really excited for him. He’s done a fantastic job of conditioning and being on it so consistently that he’s created an opportunity for him to get back here.”
In the trenches, veteran defensive tackle Jarran Reed received a questionable designation after missing practice time with a groin strain. After placing rookie Mike Morris on injured reserve earlier on the week, his absence would be a major blow for Seattle's defensive line if he can't play against a quality Carolina run game, but Carroll said that he practiced and did well on Friday.
Offensively, receiver DK Metcalf, running back DeeJay Dallas, and guard Phil Haynes also were listed as questionable. Metcalf injured his ribs against the Lions and returned to practice on Friday, while Haynes tweaked his calf and has been limited throughout the week. Dallas wasn't on the injury report on Wednesday or Thursday, but has come down with an illness that could jeopardize his chances of playing on Sunday.
In the positive news department, edge rusher Boye Mafe and linebacker Devin Bush, who each sat out Sunday's win at Detroit, didn't receive any designations on the final injury report. Mafe should jump back into the starting lineup across from Uchenna Nwosu, while Bush could see some snaps rotating in with Jordyn Brooks alongside Bobby Wagner in the middle to go with special teams duties.
