Seattle Seahawks LB Uchenna Nwosu Out Multiple Weeks With MCL Sprain

The Seahawks edge rusher injured his knee in the team's preseason finale on Saturday when he was chop blocked by Cleveland Browns guard Wyatt Teller.

September 18, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (10) after the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Seahawks outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu is expected to be sidelined for two to six weeks with an MCL sprain, per ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Nwosu was chop blocked in the knee by Cleveland Browns guard Wyatt Teller at the same time running back Jerome Ford hit his shoulder in the first quarter of Saturday’s 37-33 preseason win, and he immediately fell to the turf.

After walking off on his own, Seahawks medical staff put ice on his knee and Nwosu remained on the sidelines until heading to the locker room later in the game.

Nwosu can’t seem to catch a break with injuries since signing a three-year, $45 million contract extension with Seattle ahead of the 2023 season. He suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Week 7 of last season and was quickly ruled out for the season.

Now, after playing just four snaps on the first drive of the preseason finale with the Seahawks’ starters, Nwosu will miss the beginning of the 2024 season.

Seattle will have to determine whether Nwosu will be one of two players it can place on short-term injured reserve before final cutdowns, which would force him to miss a minimum of four games but would free up a spot on the initial 53-man roster. Landing on injured reserve ahead of cutdowns used to be a season-ending designation before an amendment to the restrictions after the 2023 season.

So the question becomes whether the Seahawks will put Nwosu on IR to begin the season, which would require him to miss at least the first four games (As I was just reminded, teams can now put two players on short-term IR without having to carry them on their 53 through cut-downs) https://t.co/uS54GbYyY3

— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) August 26, 2024

Since arriving in Seattle, Nwosu has been a key defensive player for the Seahawks when healthy. In 23 games played, he has 82 total tackles, 11.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles the past two seasons.

Seattle already made a corresponding move to make up for the early-season loss of Nwosu, trading for Jacksonville Jaguars pass-rusher Trevis Gipson earlier on Monday. The team traded Darrell Taylor one day before Nwosu's injury on Friday. In the meantime, Dre'Mont Jones, Boye Mafe, Derick Hall and Gipson will have to pick up some extra slack for Seattle.