Ryan Neal Headlines Seahawks Inactives For Week 18 vs. Rams
After not practicing at all this week due to a lingering knee injury, the Seahawks will be without starting strong safety Ryan Neal as they push for the final wild card spot in the season finale against the Rams.
Neal, who will miss a third consecutive game, has been dealing with a knee injury for the past month. Following Friday's practice, while coach Pete Carroll told reporters the veteran defender was making progress, he didn't offer an optimistic update on his chances of suiting up this weekend and clearly didn't turn the corner enough to warrant being active.
"It's going to have to be a big change [for him to play] on game day," Carroll said.
Along with Neal, guard Phil Haynes will miss his first game of the season after suffering a high ankle sprain against the Jets in Week 17. Though he didn't practice at all this week, he was listed as questionable with hopes he may be able to gut it out and be available only one week after rolling his ankle.
While Haynes won't be in uniform, left guard Damien Lewis will be back in the starting lineup after turning his ankle in practice earlier this week. Behind him and right guard Gabe Jackson, versatile second-year blocker Jake Curhan will serve as the primary backup if either player needs a spell on Sunday.
In other positive news, Tyler Lockett will play after returning to practice on Friday with a bruised shin. The veteran made a quick recovery from left hand surgery to start last week against the Jets, but missed most of the game after taking a shot to the same leg he broke at the end of the 2016 season. Following several days of rest, he will be ready to roll with the playoffs on the line.
Among other players listed as questionable who will play against the Rams, defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson will dress despite missing a pair of practices with an illness this week. He should rotate in behind starters Poona Ford and Shelby Harris per usual against a Rams offensive line that has endured chronic issues protecting the quarterback this season.
Capping off the rest of Seattle's inactives for Week 18, receiver Penny Hart, cornerback Artie Burns, linebacker Vi Jones, defensive tackle Isaiah Mack, and linebacker Joshua Onujiogu will all be held out as healthy scratches.
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