By Gregg Bell
The News Tribune
RENTON — Two Seahawks headliners have good, previously undisclosed reasons for not practicing during offseason workouts.
Offseason surgeries.
Chris Carson, the team’s 1,110-yard rushing leader last season, and Bradley McDougald, perhaps Seattle’s second-most consistent and effective defensive player after Bobby Wagner in 2018, each had knee surgery this winter into spring.
Coach Pete Carroll revealed that Tuesday when asked to explain each starter not participating in voluntary organized team activities this week.
“He’s had a little bit of work done. He looks great,” Carroll said of Carson, who was on the field Tuesday but not wearing a helmet and watching his teammates do OTAs.
“I don’t know, a couple weeks from being back, I think.”
The Seahawks have eight more OTA practices over the next few weeks. Their mandatory veteran minicamp is June 11-13, then the players scatter for the annual, six-week break before training camp begins in late July.
McDougald was brilliant last season replacing Kam Chancellor as the starting strong safety, after excelling at both free and strong safety in his Seattle debut season of 2017. He played through a sore knee in 2018, then got it fixed after the playoff loss at Dallas Jan. 5.
Carroll made it sound like McDougald, who is entering the second season of a three-year, $13.95 million contract, would be back for the start of training camp if not before, as well.
Marwin Evans, a four-year free agent from Utah State that Seattle signed as a free agent last year, was the first-team strong safety Tuesday, with Tedric Thompson at free safety. Thompson started there the final three months of 2018 after the since-departed Earl Thomas broke his leg.
The Seahawks drafted Marquise Blair in the second round last month because of his hard hitting as a strong safety at the University of Utah.
C.J. Prosise (remember him?) got time as the lead running back in Tuesday’s practice. Prosise had surgery this winter for an abdominal issue.
He has had eight injuries since Seattle drafted him in the third round in 2016. He carried the ball just once and caught three passes last season. He has played in just 16 of a possible 48 games in three regular seasons in the NFL with the Seahawks. This year is the final one of his rookie contract.
Carroll reiterated at the NFL owners meetings in March the Seahawks remain attracted to the unique skills the former Notre Dame wide receiver brings to the offense.
When he can stay on the field, that is.
“The surgery was more intense than they had even anticipated,” Carroll said March 26.
“…we’ve loved C.J. and the dynamics that he brings to us. So to get him back—and really when you think of us losing Mike, C.J. comes back into the fold—I think it’s a tremendous addition running and catching and blocking. He’s a good prospect. So in the position we love the competition. We love the depth. We love the play of our guys. C.J. can really bring us something. I’m anxious to see him fit back in.”
