Seahawks outside linebacker Darryl Johnson left last week's win in Detroit with what Pete Carroll later called "somewhat of a significant" foot injury, and on Friday Johnson was placed on injured reserve.
The move will require Johnson, who joined the Seahawks as a waiver claim before the start of the season, to miss at least four games. The good news for Johnson is that Carroll said the injury should not keep him out the entire season so there's a good chance he will return at some point.
The Seahawks claimed Johnson after he was waived by the Panthers in a move that was initially made to upgrade Seattle's talent on special teams. And while Johnson has indeed performed well on special teams, he also began playing more on defense after Shelby Harris went down with an injury in Week 2. So impressive was Johnson's play that the Seahawks moved him into the starting lineup for last week's game.
The move gives the Seahawks an open spot on the 53-man roster heading into their Week 5 game against the Saints, though they could still make a move Saturday to fill that spot.
The Seahawks face the Saints for Week 5 of the 2022 season at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Take a look back at photos from the past games between the two teams.
Kicker Garo Yepremian (1) of the New Orleans Saints attempts a field goal in 1979. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Floyd Turner (88) begins the celebration after catching the winning touchdown in the Saints Seattle Seahawks game on Sunday, Sept. 3, 1991 in New Orleans. Looking on is Seahawks James Jefferson (26). Turner took the pass from quarterback Bobby Hebert late the fourth quarter to give the Saints a 27-24 victory. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
New Orleans Saints cornerback Eric Allen (21) stops Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Joey Galloway (84) during NFL action Sunday Nov. 16, 1997 in New Orleans. Galloway took a pass from quarterback Warren Moon, making a first down on the play. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
Seahawks' quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is sacked by Saints' defenders Charles Grant (94) and Willie Whitehead (98) during the second quarter on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2003, at Seahawks' Stadium. Even through being sacked, Hasselbeck completed 12 of 23 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Seahawks over the Saints, 27-10. (AP Photo/Jim Bryant)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck (8) throws against the New Orleans Saints Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004, in New Orleans as guard Steve Hutchinson (76) blocks Saints linebacker Roger Knight. Hasselbeck completed 19 of 29 passes for 246 yards and one touchdown in Seattle's 21-7 win. (AP Photo/Travis Spradling)
New Orleans Saints' Tebucky Jones (34), right, grabs the face mask of Seattle Seahawks receiver Darrell Jackson (82) on a pass play during the second quarter at the Superdome Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004, in New Orleans. Jackson picked up 22 yards on the reception and the Seahawks picked up 11 yards more on the penalty to help set up their second touchdown of the quarter. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)
New Orleans Saints' Reggie Bush (25) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks' Brian Russell during the first quarter of their NFL football game in Seattle, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2007. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
RETRANSMISSION FOR ALTERNATE CROP OF SEA163 Seattle Seahawks' Marshawn Lynch (24) breaks away from a tackle by the New Orleans Saints defenders to score a touchdown in the second half of an NFL NFC wild card playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2011, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
FILE - In this Dec. 2, 2013, file photo, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril hits the arm of New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees causing a fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett in the first half of an NFL football game in Seattle. The Seahawks finished the regular season as the best pass defense in the NFL with three All-Pro selections in the secondary. Their best performance came when they suffocated New Orleans in Week 13. Now comes the challenge of duplicating that in Saturday's NFC divisional playoff game against the Saints. (AP Photo/Scott Eklund, File)
Seattle Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor (31) stops New Orleans running back Khiry Robinson (29) during an NFL Divisional Playoff game on January 11, 2014. The Seahawks defeated the Saints 23-15 in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game. (AP Photo/Kevin Terrell)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jermaine Kearse (15) leaps for a pass just outside the end zone as New Orleans Saints cornerback B.W. Webb (28) covers as time expires in the second half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016. Kearse came down out of bounds and the Saints won 25-20. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Seattle Seahawks defensive group tackles New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) during an NFL regular season football game on Sunday, Sep. 22, 2019 in Seattle. The Saints won, 33-27. (Ric Tapia via AP)
