Lucas could return in home stretch

Seahawks' Abe Lucas isn't finished yet, 10/23/2024

The Seahawks designated Abe Lucas to return on Wednesday, starting a 21-day practice window that could have the right tackle back in action by the end of the month. Based on the timing I could see him being ready to play by late November or early December.

ALERT: SEAHAWKS TRADE FOR A NEW STARTING LB

Bob: Add me to the long list of folks who wonder when Abe Lucas will return. HEY, I'm get'n old here!

The Seahawks play back-to-back home games against the Bills and Rams, then take their week off prior to returning for a 49ers road game on November 17th. Players on IR can be activated for a 21-day practice window, which would allow Lucas to practice for 3 weeks without counting against the 53-man roster; at the end of 21 days, Seattle must either put Lucas on the 53 or lose him for the rest of the season.

A cautiously optimistic projection would mean:

• The 21-day window started Wednesday

• Then 3 weeks of practice

• Add Lucas to 53-man roster in Week 11 (11/17/24 vs 49ers)

• Let him play 1-2 weeks later

• Lucas would still have 6-7 games this season

This is optimistic. The pessmistic view would be that Lucas stays on IR for the entire season and we can’t rule that out either.

ALERT #2: SEAHAWKS ADD 2ND NEW LB TO ROSTER

Every week I answer questions from Super Joes subscribers. To join the next Q and A newsletter, upgrade to Super Joes for only $5 more than Regular.

Grant: Is it too early to talk about college QBs and the 2025 draft?

I will talk about college QBs with you 365 days per year, Grant. Just send me a message and that goes for everyone. For a Seahawks newsletter, I do get pushback bringing up the draft during the season.

Former ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay did premiere his podcast on Tuesday and the topic was quarterbacks — as it always is — for anyone interested:

The most talked about 2025 QBs:

• QB Cam Ward, Miami

• QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

• QB Carson Beck, Georgia (not sure this is true after last week)

• QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama

• QB Quinn Ewers, Texas

Grayson McCall, my personal favorite and a probable UDFA, has missed most of the season due to injury. I invite everyone to talk about the 2025 draft in the comments if that’s your interest:

zezinhom400: Where does that shoot-yourself-in-the-foot loss to the Giants rank among the other "worst" losses that characterized the Carroll years? Can you please help me get off this despair (Giants loss) elated (Falcons win) emotional seesaw I'm on?

Has Jason Myers simply missed the field goal, or it was blocked and immediately downed, the Seahawks would have lost 23-20. Disappointing, but I wasn’t even thinking of the Giants game as an “all-time worst” type of loss.

In Pete Carroll’s first season as the head coach, the Seahawks were blown out 9 times in the regular season.

• 31-14 Broncos

• 20-3 Rams

• 33-3 Raiders

• 41-7 Giants

• 34-19 Saints

• 42-24 Chiefs

• 40-21 49ers

• 34-18 Falcons

• 38-15 Bucs

• Bonus: 35-24 Bears (divisional round)

Bob: Under the heading of untapped player potential in critical situations, perhaps coordinator Ryan Grubb should recall that Byron Murphy II was once a running back. And on the infrequent "tushy push", must-have (one yard) he would, with a little help from his friends, be f**king unstoppable!

Interpretation: Bob wants the Seahawks to use Byron Murphy as a lead blocker or even as the ball carrier on 4th-and-1 or goal-to-Go situation.

My Answer: You’ll get no push-back from me.

Obstacle: The Seahawks have one of the best red zone RBs in the NFL.

Cold Steel and Sunshine: I want to see if these two (cornerbacks) we have starting (Devon Witherspoon, and I assume you mean Riq Woolen) are on pace to both have their second Pro Bowls.

It’s hard to make the Pro Bowl if you don’t play. And unless you’re Sauce Gardner — in the New York market — it’s hard to make the Pro Bowl as a cornerback if you don’t create turnovers.

I think Woolen will miss his third game in a row this week. Aside from his pick-6 on Daniel Jones last season, Witherspoon has only forced one other turnover in his 21-game career (FF in Week 10, 2023).

If you asked about talent, I’d say yes, the Seahawks are as talented at corner as any team in the NFC. Since you asked about the Pro Bowls, that’s not the season that either player is having yet, but it’s still October.

Grant: What is it that K’Von Wallace is good at to make him an every-week rotational player, but not so good as to make him the backup when there's an injury ahead of him? Or, if Love were out and Jenkins were in, would it play out differently?

The K’Von Wallace gamelog snap count indicates Macdonald’s commitment to Wallace on special teams and as a player who the team wants to cap at 20-30% snaps on defense:

Per Next Gen Stats, Wallace has almost a 50/50 split of run snaps and coverage snaps, so there’s nothing to indicate that Macdonald prefers him in obvious passing downs or running situations.

Bottom line: K’Von Wallace has not been a good safety during his NFL career and is on his fourth team in three years. Coby Bryant has been with the Seahawks since 2022 and has been a better player. If another safety was injured, Macdonald may have no other choice. As Bryant is available, why not start him and keep Wallace doing what he’s doing?

(Questions were edited by me for space and clarity.)

Seaside Joe 2061