Bradley Sowell left Sunday's game at Arizona with a knee injury, but the good news for the Seahawks left tackle is that he won't need surgery, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Monday.

"Bradley's got an MCL sprain that isn't going to require surgery," Carroll said. "It's going to take a few weeks, we'll see what it takes to get him back."

Undrafted rookie George Fant, a former basketball standout at Western Kentucky who played only one year of college football as a tight end, replaced Sowell in Sunday's 6-6 tie with the Cardinals, and could be an option until Sowell is back. Carroll did not confirm whether or not Fant will start this week, noting there are other options, including J'Marcus Webb, who has practiced at both tackle spots and started three games at guard, and Garry Gilliam, who spent much of the offseason and training camp at left tackle before moving back to the right side.  

"George jumped in there," Carroll said. "We've been counting on young George to jump up one of these times—we didn't know when that was going to be—and he did an admirable job for his first time ever. We've got some choices, J'Marcus has moved around, of course Garry has played over there—we have some things we can work with."

While Sowell's was the only new injury reported from Sunday's game, that doesn't mean the game didn't take a physical toll, particularly on a defense that was on the field for 95 snaps.

"Right now it's about recovering," Carroll said. "We didn't get banged up much, but it'll be a recovery mode here that we've got to be in to make sure we get out of it and come out strong and fast, ready to play this next weekend."

Carroll noted that workloads could be adjusted in practice this week, particularly for defensive players who need more rest after being on the field for so long against the Cardinals.  

"We always consider that," Carroll said. "We always consider that and adjust every week. Themes stay the same, but the reps and the way we do it is altered based on what's necessary. There's quite a discrepancy from one side of the ball to another, so we'll make adjustments and have considerations for that for sure."

Carroll also provided an update on Thomas Rawls, who has not played since Week 2 because of a fibula injury, saying the running back could be back as soon as Seattle's Week 9 game against Buffalo.

"This is what we're counting on—we're counting on him running this week, then next week preparing to play," Carroll said. "That's what we're counting on unless something changes."

Getting Rawls back could be just part of Seattle improving its rushing attack going forward, Carroll said: "There's no question that we've missed Thomas' factor, just his style of play and all of that. To have a real 1-2 punch would be a nice asset… Thomas coming back, he's a big factor for us. We love the way he plays."

Carroll said he was "very optimistic" about Kam Chancellor getting back for this week's game at New Orleans. Chancellor has missed the past two games with a groin injury.

Carroll said they don't know yet if Kevin Pierre-Louis (ankle) will be back this week, and he said rookie defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson needs knee surgery for an injury sustained in practice.

The availability of quarterback Russell Wilson has not been in doubt, but Carroll did note that Wilson continues to improve from earlier knee and ankle injuries and came out of Sunday's game feeling good.  

"Russell is going to get better," Carroll said. "He's getting better. He got out of this game for the first time where he felt nothing of carry-over in his ankle or his knee, which is really good. There's always a little bit of aftermath, he didn't feel that, from what I understand."