The Seahawks main focus this week has been on their Week 4 game against the 49ers, but they also are aware of another big sports story in Seattle this weekend, which is why Pete Carroll opened his Friday press conference not with talk about the week of practice or the upcoming game, but rather about the "Mariners mania going on around here."
"We've been watching and pulling for them," Carroll said… "We're just rooting for them and Coach Servais and those guys come around and have a great finish to the season. It's fun, I hope everybody turns out and makes it crazy at the stadium for them."
As for that game in Santa Clara, the Seahawks will be without at least two players due to injury, starting right tackle Brandon Shell, who will miss a second straight game with an ankle injury, and running back Rashaad Penny, who has been out since injuring his calf in the opener.
With Shell out, the Seahawks could start Jamarco Jones for a second straight week, or go with rookie Jake Curhan, who split time with Jones. Another option is Cedric Ogbuehi, who started four games in place of Shell last year. Ogbuehi, who opened the season on injured reserve, returned to practice this week, but a roster move will have to be made to get him on the 53-man roster if he is going to play.
As for Shell's injury, Carroll said he should be back by Week 6 at the latest if not for next week's game against the Rams.
"It's not a real serious ankle injury, he's almost there right now," Carroll said. "He just couldn't quite get it. He's shooting for Thursday night, that might be the chance, but if he doesn't make it, he'll make it for sure after that."
Receiver Dee Eskridge, who was hoping to get back from a concussion, is listed as doubtful.
"I'm not sure he's going to make it," Carroll said. "We've got to wait and see what happens tomorrow. We're still talking about it… He passed the protocol on Wednesday, he had a really good day yesterday in practice, but we just don't know that it's right to bring him back yet."
In more positive news, receiver Tyler Lockett, who is listed as questionable with a hip injury, returned to practice and "feels good," Carroll said: "He practiced today. We rested him during the week, and he had a bunch of treatment and he feels good."
Receiver DK Metcalf, who showed up on the injury report Thursday with a foot injury, did not have a designation on Friday's report, meaning he's ready to go.
"He's just got a sore foot," Carroll said. "We just rested him. He was out there today."
Also off the injury report is defensive end Kerry Hyder Jr., meaning he should be back after leaving last week's game with a concussion.
Carroll said that two key members of the pass-rush rotation, Alton Robinson and Benson Mayowa, will both be game-day decisions after being listed as questionable Friday.
"We've got to wait and see, we'll run him on gameday to make sure he's OK," Carroll said of Robinson. "He's got a real good chance. Benson is kind of in the same boat. He's close, but he's barely getting back if he does."
Gerald Everett Update
In non-injury news, Carroll said tight end Gerald Everett, who was placed on the COVID-19 list this week, is vaccinated so he can return after testing negative on consecutive days. So far that hasn't happened yet, so unless he is negative both Saturday and Sunday, and is able to, as Carroll joked, "materialize in the Bay Area if he passes the test," then he won't play this weekend.
Everett, who is the first Seahawks player to test positive in-season since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, tested positive Wednesday, and as Carroll noted, that was only caught because the team tests Monday and Wednesday rather than just the once-a-week cadence required by the league. Had the Seahawks tested only on Monday, Everett would have been around teammates all week and potentially infected others.
The good news for Everett is that so far, he has been asymptomatic.
"He's fine," Carroll said. "He doesn't feel sick or anything. He's asymptomatic."
With Everett likely out, Carroll said the Seahawks will add Colby Parkinson, who returned to practice this week from injured reserve.
Other Notes
When asked about the competition at cornerback, Carroll said, "This was a good competitive week. Sidney (Jones IV) had a particularly good week, and Tre (Flowers) was battling too. I'm anxious to see our play this weekend. We need to do more, as we do in all areas, but I'm anxious to see what happens this week, I think we're going to be better."
Asked if that meant Jones would play on defense this week, Carroll said, "You'll see."
As for Bless Austin, another of the recently-added cornerbacks, Carroll said, "Very competitive. This guy's a really interesting player, he's got a real style to him. He's got a lot of highlights in our practices. He's doing some good stuff, so I'm glad we have him."
Receiver Phillip Dorsett II, who signed to the practice squad this week, is catching up quickly and should soon be competing for playing time, Carroll said of the receiver who signed with Seattle last year as a free agent but spent the season on injured reserve.
"He jumped right back out here," Carroll said. "He's had a couple of great days here. We were really happy to see him. He's really fast, as always, he does pick up our stuff really quickly because he's got the background with us, it won't take him another week before he's competing with our guys for play time and trying to get up on the game field."
The Seattle Seahawks take on the San Francisco 49ers for Week 15 of the 2022 season. Take a look back at some of their previous matchups.
Seattle Seahawks fullback Dan Doornink (33) runs upfield during an NFL game against the San Francisco 49ers in San Francisco, Oct. 7, 1979. The Seahawks defeated the 49ers 35-24. (AP Photo/Al Messerschmidt)
San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana (16) passes during an NFL football game against Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, Nov. 25, 1985, in San Francisco. The 49ers won the game, 19-6. (AP Photo/Greg Trott)
San Francisco 49ers Ronnie Lott pulls down Seattle Seahawks receiver Steve Largent (80) for a short gain in the first quarter at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, Aug. 29, 1986. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
Jerry Rice (80) of the San Francisco 49ers dives into the endzone for a touchdown after catching a 30-yard pass from Joe Montana during the second quarter on Friday, Sept. 1, 1989 in Seattle, against the Seahawks. Unable to make the play for the Seahawks in Dwayne Harper (29). (AP Photo/Bill Chan)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Dave Krieg gives the number one sign as he lines up behind Seahawks tackle Andy Heck (66) during the second quarter at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, Sept. 1, 1990. The Seahawks beat the 49ers 30-10. (AP Photo/John Mabanglo)
Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Sam Adams (98) fights his way through the blocking of 49ers offensive guard Derrick Deese (63) during a 9 to 13 Seattle Seahawks preseason loss to the San Francisco 49ers on August 26, 1994 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
Seattle Seahawks running back Ricky Watters (32) evades San Francisco 49ers' Monty Montgomery on a first-quarter run Saturday, Aug. 19, 2000, in Seattle. Watters made a first down on the play. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander (37) makes touchdown on Saturday, August 25, 2001, in San Francisco, California. The Seahawks defeated the 49ers 28-18 in a preseason game. (AP Photo/Al Golub)
Seattle Seahawks defensive back Reggie Tongue (25) moves in to finish off tackle on San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Tai Streets (89) on Sunday, December 1, 2002, in San Francisco, California. The 49ers defeated the Seahawks 31-24. (AP Photo/Al Golub)
Seattle Seahawks' Antonio Cochran (78) celebrates a fumble recovery by teammate safety Ken Hamlin on the first play after the 2-minute warning in the fourth quarter against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2003, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 20-19. At left is 49ers' Ron Stone. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks' Ken Lucas (21) grabs San Francisco 49ers Jamal Robertson on a run in the fourth quarter Sunday, Sept. 26, 2004, in Seattle. Robertson was held to no gain on the play, and the Seahawks won, 34-0. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
San Francisco 49ers' Shawntae Spencer, left, pushes Seattle Seahawks' Joe Jurevicius out of bounds on a first quarter pass reception, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2005, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander, front left, is brought down by San Francisco 49ers linebacker Manny Lawson, back, and linebacker Brandon Moore, right, in the second half of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2006. San Francisco won 20-14. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (8) smiles after greeting former teammate and San Francisco 49ers back-up quarterback Trent Dilfer after an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 12, 2007, in Seattle. The Seahawks won 24-0. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks running back Justin Forsett (30) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers running back Michael Robinson (24) during an NFL football game in San Francisco, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2008. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (8) passes under pressure by San Francisco 49ers' Takeo Spikes in the fourth quarter during an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, in Seattle, Wash. Hasselbeck completed the pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh. The Seahawks won 20-17. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks running back Michael Robinson #26 during an NFL football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers December 12, 2010 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco Ca. The San Francisco 49ers defeated the Seattle Seahawks 40 - 21 in regular season week fourteen action. (Ap Photo/ Bill Nichols)
San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Justin Smith (94) bull rushes the quarterback during an NFL game against Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Robert Gallery (72) on Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011, in Seattle. The 49ers won the game, 19-17. (AP Photo/Greg Trott)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin (89) catches a pass in front of San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver (29) during the second quarter of an NFL football game in San Francisco, Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
NFL Football: NFC Conference Playoff: San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks Game Action CenturyLink Field/Seattle, WA, USA 1/19/2014 X157457 TK1 Credit: Rod Mar
FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2014, file photo, Seattle Seahawks' Richard Sherman (25) tips a pass in the endzone intended for San Francisco 49ers' Michael Crabtree (15) in the final minute of the second half of the NFC championship NFL football game in Seattle. Seattle's Malcolm Smith intercepted the tipped pass. Sherman was fined $7,875 for unsportsmanlike conduct/taunting after he made a choking gesture after the play toward the San Francisco bench that he said was directed at quarterback Colin Kaepernick. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)
Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls (34) scores a touchdown between San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Gerald Hodges (51), strong safety Jaquiski Tartt (29) and linebacker Michael Wilhoite (57) during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner intercepts a 49ers pass near the goal line and heads upfield.
