The Seahawks returned to practice Wednesday to begin preparation for their Week 13 game against the Minnesota Vikings, and while Jadeveon Clowney wasn't expected to take part in that practice, there is still optimism that the defensive end will be available Monday night after missing Seattle's last game with a hip injury.

"We're counting on him getting back," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. "We are, we're counting on him getting back, but he's still got to make it. That's a little twinge of optimism there again. He feels good about it and he wants to go. He's going to try and make it."

Another starting defensive lineman, Jarran Reed, is also trying to get back from an injury this week, having left Seattle's Week 12 win in Philadelphia with an ankle injury.

"He's determined to practice and to play in the week at the end of the week," Carroll said. "He was out at walk through doing his stuff today, so we'll see. It's going to be day to day for us to figure it out. We won't know until probably game time."

Tight end Luke Willson is pushing to get back after missing one game with a hamstring injury, Carroll said: "Luke is trying to pull it off now. He's as aggressively approaching it as you can do it. He's going to try to prove that he can play this week, so we'll see how that goes. Trainers are trying to hold him back from going too far too soon. That's how Luke does it. Luke has been remarkable over the years. I wouldn't count him out."

The word on fullback Nick Bellore, who is also one of Seattle's top special team players, was less optimistic.

"Nick's not able to practice right now," Carroll said. "He's got a pretty good quad injury, so we're going to wait a little bit on him."

The Seahawks are also expecting to see a healthier version of Tyler Lockett this week after the receiver made it back to play against the Eagles despite a leg injury sustained in Seattle's previous game that required a two-night hospital stay.

"Yeah, he feels really good now," Carroll said. "He maybe wasn't 100 percent, even though he could run and play and all that. He just feels better now. I think it's going to take all the way to Monday to really kind of put it in the rearview mirror, but he's in good shape. He looked really good today."