Seattle Seahawks Don't Foresee Uchenna Nwosu Landing on Injured Reserve

The Seahawks don't know if Uchenna Nwosu will be able to play in their season opener, but his prognosis looks to be a best case scenario with a sprained knee.

Jul 28, 2023; Renton, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (10) participates in a drill during training camp practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

In terms of positive developments coming out of roster cutdown day, the Seattle Seahawks provided optimism about Uchenna Nwosu's recovery from a knee injury by opting not to initially place him on injured reserve.

While it remains to be seen when Nwosu will be able to return to play after spraining his knee in Seattle's preseason finale, however, general manager John Schneider told reporters after Wednesday's practice he doesn't anticipate the veteran edge defender will have to go on injured reserve. In fact, the team cautiously believes there's a chance he could be back in the first few games on the earlier side of a reported recovery timeline.

On the receiving end of an illegal chop block by Browns guard Wyatt Teller, Nwosu exited the lineup on the Seahawks opening defensive drive in the first quarter and quickly went to the blue injury tent for evaluation. He stayed on the sideline for a few moments before eventually being taken to the locker room. After the game, coach Mike Macdonald wasn't able to provide any specifics on his injury, but a later report from ESPN's Adam Schefter indicated he would be out two to six weeks.

Though Nwosu may not have a realistic chance of being ready to play against the Broncos in Week 1, the fact that the Seahawks haven't placed him on injured reserve and he could be back in just a few weeks would be a major boon for Macdonald's defense. Without the former USC standout for the last 11 games last year, the team's run defense unraveled, plunging from a top-five unit in the first six weeks to dead last in the NFL.

As an anchor for Seattle's defensive line, Nwosu has been as valuable as any defender on the team since arriving as a free agent signing in March 2022. In his first year with the organization, he narrowly missed double-digit sacks, forced three fumbles, and tallied career-highs with 12 tackles for loss and 26 quarterback hits, earning himself a lucrative extension in July 2023. Before suffering a pectoral injury against Arizona last October, he produced 16 tackles, two sacks, and four tackles for loss in six games.

Only one day after sending Darrell Taylor to the Bears for a future sixth-round pick, the Seahawks proactively sought out insurance to offset a potential long-term absence for Nwosu on Monday, dealing the team's native 2025 sixth-round pick to the Jaguars for veteran Trevis Gipson. According to Schneider, the team had tried to sign Gipson multiple times in the past, and now he will be able to add to a group that also includes Dre'Mont Jones, Derick Hall, and Boye Mafe until their unsung leader returns.

In the meantime, as the Seahawks wait the process out to see when Nwosu can get back on the field and contribute, Gipson's arrival coupled with Jones, Mafe, and Hall should help keep things afloat defensively in the short term. The team also still has two practice squad spots open and reportedly have been working on signing former fifth-round pick Tyreke Smith to provide extra insurance if necessary.

In additional injury news, Schneider indicated the Seahawks are playing a "long game" with right tackle Abraham Lucas as he works back from offseason knee surgery. Though the third-year lineman will open the year on the reserve/PUP list and must miss at least the first four games of the regular season, Schneider thinks he will be ready to play at some point in 2024.