Leonard Williams, Boye Mafe Among Seattle Seahawks Ruled Out For Week 4

Decimated by injuries along the defensive line, the Seahawks will have to face a physical Lions squad without three starters, including Boye Mafe.

Sep 15, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99) reacts with linebacker Boye Mafe (53) after a sack against New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

In a nightmare scenario heading into a Monday Night Football date with the defending NFC North champion Detroit Lions, the Seattle Seahawks will be without three starters and their first-round pick Byron Murphy II along the defensive line when they travel to the Motor City.

Hours before flying to Detroit, Seattle officially ruled out veteran defensive tackle Leonard Williams, edge rushers Uchenna Nwosu and Boye Mafe, and Murphy, leaving the team with major question marks in the trenches going up against one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL. Most likely, the team will elevate either Matt Gotel and Quinton Bohanna to replace Williams and Murphy and Tyus Bowser will likely be called up for a second straight game to replace Mafe and Nwosu.

Williams and Murphy each departed the Seahawks' Week 3 win over the Dolphins before halftime with rib and hamstring injuries respectively and did not return. Both players have been sidelined throughout the practice week and with them now officially out for Monday night, the onus will fall on reserves Mike Morris and Myles Adams to pick up the slack behind veterans Jarran Reed and Johnathan Hankins in the middle.

As for Mafe, coach Mike Macdonald told reporters that a knee injury originally suffered in Week 2 cropped back up last week, but it's "nothing major," suggesting that he shouldn't miss any more time after Monday's prime time contest. Nwosu has been out since Seattle's preseason finale when he sprained his knee on an illegal chop block by Cleveland guard Wyatt Teller and will miss a fourth straight game to open the season.

At linebacker, after sitting out last week's game, Jerome Baker received a questionable designation and it remains to be seen whether or not he will suit up in Detroit. If he isn't able to play, rookie Tyrice Knight will start his second straight game and second-year defender Drake Thomas could once again rotate into the lineup as a sub-package linebacker on passing downs.

In the good news department, the Seahawks will have star running back Ken Walker III back after he missed the previous two games with an oblique injury. Though he was limited in Wednesday and Thursday's practice, he didn't receive a designation on the final injury report and Macdonald said he was "good to go" for Monday, providing a major boost for the offense.

Seattle will also be at full strength at tight end, as Noah Fant (toe) and Pharaoh Brown (foot) did not receive designations on the final injury report after being limited during the practice week.