Tight end Jimmy Graham and running back Thomas Rawls were spectators during the Seattle Seahawks' three-day minicamp that concluded the team's offseason workout program, but those two have put in enough hard work in rehabilitating their injuries for Seahawks coach Pete Carroll to have a very optimistic outlook about their chances of suiting up for the regular-season opener.

"I absolutely think that," Carroll said when asked about Graham and Rawls playing in Seattle's Sept. 11 opener against the Miami Dolphins. "They would have to incur some issues that we can't foresee right now for that not to happen."

Graham is recovering from knee surgery, the result of an injury suffered in Seattle's Week 12 win over Pittsburgh, while Rawls is working his way back from an ankle injury in a Week 14 victory at Baltimore that ended his season. 

Carroll and the medical staff don't yet know if either player will be available on the first day of training camp or if they'll open camp on the physically unable to perform list—players can come off training camp PUP at any time—but both are progressing well in their comebacks from serious injuries.

"They both have made great progress," Carroll said. "Whether it's the first day of camp or not, or it's PUP or whatever, we're going to have to wait and see how these six weeks play out. It's a really important six weeks because these guys are in good enough shape now that they can get in shape. They've worked their way back in the rehab process, and now they're preparing to really push ahead."

Both players have been seen jogging on the field before practices, with Graham even catching some passes from Wilson at less-than-full speed, and Carroll noted that Graham is slightly ahead of Rawls at this point, though both are doing well.

"Jimmy's a little bit ahead of Thomas in terms of the on-field running, so he's a bit ahead schedule-wise, but still, Thomas is in great shape," Carroll said. "Both kids are mentally right, they've got the great attitude about what they're going to do in these next six weeks, so we'll just have to wait and see. We'll be chronicling their progress through the offseason—Thomas is going to be here the whole time, Jimmy's going to be back and forth. It's going to be pretty crucial to see what happens after the six weeks of time, but it's not going to tell the story. We've got a long time here. We'll have another six weeks, we're really 12 weeks away from the first game, or 13 or whatever it is, so we've got a long time to get this done."