Seattle Seahawks Injury Report: Two Players Ruled Out vs. Denver Broncos

After missing practice all week, Uchenna Nwosu won't be ready for the Seahawks season opener, but the team will have several players back from injury.

Oct 2, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones (8) is sacked by Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (10) in the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Still recovering from lower body injuries, the Seattle Seahawks will be without starting edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu and tight end Pharaoh Brown when they face the Denver Broncos in Sunday's season opener at Lumen Field.

Though he avoided injured reserve, Nwosu seemed unlikely to play in Week 1 after suffering a sprained knee on an illegal chop block by Browns guard Wyatt Teller in the Seahawks preseason finale on August 24. He initially went to the blue injury tent before eventually being escorted to the locker room and missed practice all week, indicating he wasn't quite ready to return to the field.

As for Brown, the veteran tight end has been out since injuring his foot during the second joint practice in Tennessee in mid-August. Speaking with reporters on Thursday, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb held out hope he would be able to play, but like Nwosu, he did not practice at all during the week and continues to recover from the injury.

With Nwosu out, the Seahawks will benefit from the return of Dre'Mont Jones, who sat out most of training camp and the entire preseason due to a hamstring strain. Playing against his former team, he likely will start opposite of Boye Mafe at outside linebacker with Derick Hall and recently acquired Trevis Gipson rotating in behind them. The team also has Tyreke Smith and Tyus Bowser on the practice squad to call up for extra depth if needed.

At the tight end position, starter Noah Fant didn't receive an injury designation on Friday after being limited earlier in the week by a toe injury. To help offset Brown's absence, rookie AJ Barner and second-year special teams ace Brady Russell could see more action on offense, while Tyler Mabry could be an option to elevate on game day from the practice squad.

In additional injury news, Seattle listed receiver Tyler Lockett as questionable for Sunday with a thigh injury that has bothered him since the early stages of training camp. But the veteran wideout was a full participant in Friday's practice and coach Mike Macdonald indicated he would be ready to play.

"Tyler looks good," Macdonald said. "We expect him to play, he's been limited all week, but I expect him to be out there."

Not listed on the injury report at all this week, the Seahawks will have new center Connor Williams available less than nine months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL. It's possible he could be on a pitch count with only three weeks of practice time under his belt since signing with the team, opening the door for a platoon with backup Olu Oluwatimi to keep him fresh and not overwork him in his first action coming off a significant knee injury.

On defense, despite being limited on Wednesday and Thursday, Seattle will also have veteran safety Rayshawn Jenkins back in action after being sidelined the past two weeks by a calf injury. He's expected to start alongside Julian Love, while K'Von Wallace could rotate in for him on Sunday.