Seahawks Jamal Adams & Devon Witherspoon Injury Update for Week 1?

Not planning to rush either player back onto the field, the Seattle Seahawks will likely be without two key cogs in their secondary for the season opener on September 10.

While the Seattle Seahawks still have 10 days until they suit up against the Los Angeles Rams in their regular season opener, the team already appears to have made a decision on the availability of safety Jamal Adams and cornerback Devon Witherspoon.

Speaking with Chuck Powell and Bucky Jacobson on KJR 933 on Friday morning, Carroll ruled out Adams, who continues to recover from a torn quad tendon that cost him most of the 2022 season. The veteran safety was activated from the PUP list on August 24, a sign that the team doesn't expect him to miss the first four games of the regular season, but the Seahawks won't rush him back too quickly.

“If you watched him work out you would not think that he couldn’t go. He’s really working hard at it,” Carroll said of Adams' status. “We’ve got to make sure that when he’s back he stays back. We’re going to be really careful with how we do that. It’s a long season. There’s a tremendous amount of season ahead, [so] whether it’s the first couple games or whatever, I’m not worried about it. I just want him right and really confident and ready to sustain when he gets back."

Adams suffered the injury chasing down former teammate Russell Wilson on a blitz in last season's season-opening win over the Broncos and left the sideline on a cart. He underwent surgery a few days after and missed the remainder of the season.

Understanding Adams could potentially miss time early in the season due to the nature of his injury, Seattle proactively signed his replacement in free agency, investing $12 million on a two-year deal to sign veteran Julian Love. The former Notre Dame standout has more than 500 career snaps at both safety spots as well as nickel cornerback, providing outstanding flexibility for the team's defense.

Even when Adams does return in the near future, Carroll has indicated multiple times during the offseason that the Seahawks intend to play Love alongside him and Quandre Diggs with frequent three-safety looks in nickel and dime packages.

Out since August 7 with a strained hamstring, Pete Carroll didn't seem optimistic about Devon Witherspoon being ready to play for the Seahawks against the Rams in the season opener / © Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

As for Witherspoon, the fifth overall pick out of Illinois has been sidelined since August 7 with a hamstring injury. Though he has been running and participating in walkthroughs in pre-practice since last week, Carroll didn't sound optimistic about his chances of playing against the Rams on September 10 with the clock ticking to get him ready after missing all three preseason games and most of training camp.

“It’s going to be a race to get him for the opener. Might not get that," Carroll said.

Similarly to safety, the Seahawks have fortunately built quality depth at cornerback and since Witherspoon only practiced for a week before suffering the injury, Carroll and his staff have gotten extensive time to evaluate Mike Jackson and Tre Brown battling at the left cornerback spot opposite of Pro Bowler Riq Woolen. To this point, he hasn't named a starter with hopes the rookie could re-enter the competition, but it now seems set in stone one of those veterans will get the nod.

At the slot cornerback spot, where Witherspoon had been receiving most of his action at practice when healthy, Seattle will likely turn to either Coby Bryant, who played all 17 games at the position. Another interesting option could be Artie Burns, who saw some snaps playing inside in the final preseason game at Green Bay and could receive a Week 1 promotion to the active roster to play that role after re-signing with the practice squad earlier this week.

"He messed around with it a little bit and he played a very good football game," Carroll said of Burns' transition inside on Wednesday. "Maybe one of his better games he’s played for us in this last one and he showed that he can handle it too. Karl [Scott] and Roy [Anderson] are doing a great job with these guys because to have that much versatility from our guys really in quick order with Artie. They’re doing a really good job of teaching and that’s a real benefit to us.”

In additional injury news, Carroll continues to be bullish on linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who returned to practice in mid-August coming back from a torn ACL, being ready to go against the Rams. After a "great practice" on Thursday, signs look to be trending in the right direction for him to miss no time despite suffering his injury in January, a remarkable recovery feat.

If Brooks is ready to play, it remains to be seen whether or not the Seahawks will have him on a pitch count with Bobby Wagner and Devin Bush both active. But Carroll has been pleased by what he has seen from the fourth-year defender as he keeps checking off every box ahead of schedule.

"He's pushing to get ready, he wants to play in the opener and he's doing everything he can to get that done. Had a great day at practice yesterday in showing it and showing it with effort, really intent to get himself game ready, so it's pretty exciting to watch. Just gotta make it all come together when we start playing these games."