Seahawks starting cornerback DeShawn Shead will undergo surgery to repair a torn ACL, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Injured during the Seahawks’ divisional-round loss to the Falcons, Shead is looking at a “standard recovery” of around eight months, per Rapoport.
However, Pete Carroll described Shead’s injury as “significant”, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (on Twitter), and one that will require “a really long time” to overcome. So while this could be Carroll just not wanting to put a timeline on it, his tone indicates Shead could miss some time next season. He did not express that kind of concern about Tyler Lockett‘s availability after his late-season broken leg, so another Richard Sherman counterpart could be required in the starting lineup come the 2017 season.
The 28-year-old Shead started a career-most 15 games for Seattle this season, intercepting one pass, deflecting 14 and making 80 tackles. He will be a restricted free agent. Seattle should not have to worry about placing a $2.8MM second-round tender on Shead now that he’s suffered this injury, Joel Corry of CBS Sports tweets.
Here’s more coming out of Seattle.
- Speaking of Sherman, the cornerback played this season with a “significant” MCL injury, Carroll said (via Condotta, on Twitter). Carroll described the injury as weighing on Sherman mentally. The sixth-year cornerback was not listed on the injury report for a knee malady this season, Condotta notes (on Twitter). Sherman’s name appeared on the “Not Injury Related” section of missed-practice reports this season, but the Seahawks are admitting now he was injured, creating a minor controversy. Sherman appeared on the DNP report in 11 separate weeks, Michael Cohen of SeattlePI.com tweets, with 10 such weeks being listed as NIR and the other for an ankle ailment. The All-Pro talent is under contract with the Seahawks through 2018.
- Luke Willson, though, is an impending UFA and said he hopes to stay with the Seahawks next season. Although, the tight end said he hasn’t talked with the team about a new deal, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times tweets. Willson’s fourth season as a Seahawk ended as his worst statistically. He played in just 11 games and caught only 15 passes for 129 yards for an offense that featured a re-emerging Jimmy Graham.
- Carroll sounded like he believed the current cast of offensive linemen could improve as opposed to being set on seeking upgrades, Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com tweets. After a season that featured Russell Wilson battling injuries and the offensive front struggling to secure a pocket for the franchise passer, Kapadia argues standing pat here would be a mistake. The Seahawks spent the least amount of money on their offensive line this season, and Pro Football Focus graded the NFC West champions’ unit as the worst in the league.
Ignoring the o line again would be an enormous mistake.
Agreed, I don’t see how Carroll can rely on the same bunch next year. We need an upgrade.
Ifedi and maybe Britt are fine but they need to look for upgrades in the other spots. At least bring in some competition for them.