The Seahawks returned to practice Thursday following a day off to prepare for Monday night's game against the Detroit Lions, but the status of a couple of key players won't be known until later in the week, and perhaps even until gameday.
Running back Marshawn Lynch, who left Seattle's Week 3 victory over the Bears with a hamstring injury, and defensive tackle Brandon Mebane, who injured his groin in that game, are among those whose statuses are yet to be determined.
"It's going to take us all week to figure it out and see how it is," Carroll said of Lynch.
On Mebane, Carroll said, "He's in the same situation."
Asked about Lynch again, Carroll said, "We'll just wait and see. We don't need to make any big declarations right now. We'll just wait and gather information and see how he does. I know he wants to play and he's determined to try to do that. We'll just see how it goes. It may go all the way until game time."
Since coming to Seattle in a trade in 2010, Lynch and the running game have become the identity of the Seahawks offense, and before last week's game, the only significant time Lynch had missed was when he was a late scratch for a 2011 game in Cleveland because of back spasms. So if Lynch were unavailable, it would be a big adjustment, but Carroll is encouraged by what he saw last week from rookie Thomas Rawls, who rushed for 104 yards on 16 carries with Lynch limited to five carries.
"I like the way we ran the ball last week and we were able to get after it," Carroll said. "We really ran the ball pretty well in the first half, we just didn't run it very much. But the numbers were up, the average was up in good order. We'll see. How do you replace him? He's a ridiculously good football player and has been great player for us and a great factor for us forever, it seems. So we'll just do the best we can. Guys have to step up, and if that's the case and we need that to happen, then Thomas and Freddie (Jackson) are going to jump up and do some stuff for us."
One other injury manifested itself in the days following the game, with defensive end Demarcus Dobbs injuring his shoulder.
"Demarcus Dobbs got a shoulder in the game that kind of popped up as we got back, and we need to see where he is," Carroll said. "He might be slow to make it back as well."
Cornerback Tharold Simon (toe) and safety Steven Terrell (hip flexor) might have a hard time getting back for Monday's game after missing last week's game because of injuries.
"They still look like it's going to be a hard week to get back," Carroll said. "I was hoping they could make the turn. We won't know—give us a couple more days to see if they can even challenge for it—right now it's very questionable that they can make it back."
