The Seahawks are already without Bud Clark, Jake Bobo, and Mason Richman for the entire season, and now they’re set to miss a starting safety and possibly two more key contributors in Wednesday’s home opener against the New England Patriots. This isn’t the start we wanted for our boys, especially not at Lumen Field, with Ty Okada (hamstring) officially ruled out and Nick Emmanwori (ankle) listed as questionable.
Safety Room on High Alert for Patriots Opener
Okada’s hamstring injury kept him out of practice on both Sunday and Monday, making his Week 1 absence almost a certainty. Now it’s confirmed, and you know the Emerald City faithful are already wondering who steps up. This definitely means we’re dipping into the practice squad for game day elevations. What’s even wilder is Emmanwori’s questionable status; it truly caught us off guard. After his ankle surgery in July, his Week 1 return was up in the air, with ESPN’s Brady Henderson reporting his odds were “iffy” back on August 30. But get this: he practiced in full pads on Sunday! That gives him a realistic shot at suiting up for the opener, and man, we need him. The team’s decision to keep just three safeties on the active roster, Julian Love, Emmanwori, and Okada, was dicey when they made it. Now, if Emmanwori can’t go, we’ve got a big pool of four safeties on the practice squad to choose from. D’Anthony Bell, who signed on September 5 and played 14 games as a reliable depth piece last season, seems like the obvious call. We also have Rodney Thomas II, Maxen Hook, and AJ Finley ready to roll.
Horton’s Status and Shaheed’s Big Opportunity
On the offensive side, wide receiver Tory Horton (hamstring) is also questionable. Head coach Mike Macdonald said on August 21 that Horton would miss “a period of time,” so it’s been tough to gauge his return. However, the second-year wideout practiced in a limited capacity all week and looks to be on track for an early season return, even if it’s not on Wednesday. If Horton does sit out, expect Rashid Shaheed to see a lot more targets downfield, and you know he can make plays for Sam Darnold. The Patriots aren’t coming in fully healthy either, with center Ben Brown (knee) and running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) ruled out. That means Rhamondre Stevenson is set to dominate carries, trying to run against what we know is one of the best defenses in the NFL.
This is our home opener, the energy at Lumen Field is going to be electric, and we need our guys to step up big time. The official inactives drop at 3:50 pm P.T. on Wednesday, so get ready to see who’s suiting up. Let’s get this W, 12s!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Field Gulls.
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