Seahawks Lose RB Bo Scarbrough, TE Stephen Sullivan to Season-Ending Injuries

Seattle took some big hits on its practice squad this week, losing running back and tight end depth with Scarbrough and Sullivan with both players set to go under the knife with hamstring and hip injuries respectively.

While the Seahawks have received plenty of good news on the injury front this week, they will be without two promising young players on the practice squad for the remainder of the 2020 season.

After being placed on injured reserve on Monday, coach Pete Carroll indicated running back Bo Scarbrough and tight end/defensive end Stephen Sullivan will need to undergo season-ending surgeries. In corresponding moves, the team signed cornerback DeMarkus Acy and center Brad Lundblade to fill the two practice squad vacancies.

Elevated for his first game action of the season against the Cardinals on Thursday, Scarbrough impressed in a reserve role behind starter Carlos Hyde, rushing six times for 31 yards and making a couple of nice blocks in pass protection. But the former Alabama standout did the splits while being brought to the ground on a fourth quarter carry and immediately clutched his right hamstring before limping off the field.

Per Carroll, Scarbrough tore the hamstring and due to the severity of the injury, the third-year back will need an operation to repair the muscle.

As for Sullivan, Carroll told reporters on Tuesday the rookie developed a hip flexor injury and the team decided it would be best for him to have it surgically-repaired now to ensure he's back healthy for the offseason.

A seventh-round pick out of LSU, Sullivan spent training camp at tight end before eventually being moved to the defensive side of the football as a defensive end. He was promoted from the practice squad and dressed for one game, producing a tackle against the 49ers.

According to Carroll, once Sullivan returns for offseason work next spring, he will shift back to the offensive side of the ball for the 2021 season.

"He had a terrific introduction to us," Carroll said. "We liked him on offense, we liked him on defense. The coaches were battling over him, so that's a really positive thing. Very few players bring that to a club, we'll get him fixed up and he'll have a great offseason hopefully for us."

Under normal circumstances, these injuries likely wouldn't have been viewed as a big deal. But with teams hamstrung in regard to signing outside free agents by strict COVID-19 protocols, losing two promising young players off the practice squad may be a bit more significant for the Seahawks at a pair of positions where injuries have been frequent this year.