9:03 p.m. ET
Brady Henderson ESPN
SEATTLE — The Seattle Seahawks need an offensive boost and could get one this week, with wide receiver Tyler Lockett making significant progress on his return from surgery to mend a broken bone in his hand.
Lockett was pulled from practice Wednesday, but coach Pete Carroll said he participated in the morning walk-through and caught passes without pain, boding well for his chances of playing Sunday when the Seahawks host the New York Jets.
“If you saw the tour, you wouldn’t even know anything was going on,” Carroll said. “He just went through it and did everything in the walk-through. We’re going to be careful with him in training and make sure we find out what his limitations are, but he looked great throwing and catching and all that stuff so we’ll see. We will go one day at a time and not make him work hard in training today. … We don’t have to. But the walk-through was excellent so really good first sign.”
Lockett was injured in the fourth quarter of Thursday night’s Seahawks loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 15 and suffered a spiral metacarpal tear connected to the index finger of his left hand, according to Carroll. He underwent surgery on December 19 and stayed in Los Angeles for a few days to begin his rehab.
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An upbeat Lockett strolled through the dressing room ahead of Wednesday’s practice session, decked out in punches with his right hand and briefly showing reporters his swollen and stitched left hand.
“I spoke to him today; I think he’s going to play,” said linebacker Jordyn Brooks. “He’s a warrior, man. The hand is swollen. He’s got stitches, but he’s a warrior. It will be a big thing for us to see him in the dressing room getting ready to play. It brings a lot of joy to know that he will play on the other side of the ball and try to help us win. I can’t wait to see him play.”
The Seahawks missed Lockett in their 10-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday, particularly in third place where they lost just 2 of 14. They’ve scored just 23 points over the past two weeks, part of which they’ve lost five games out of six, falling to 7-8 and dropping a spot from the NFC wildcard standings. They wouldn’t necessarily be out of the playoffs with a loss to the Jets, but it would take several things to break through and stay alive.
Lockett, the Seahawks’ offensive captain, was leading the team with 964 yards when he went down. He still leads the team with eight touchdowns. The Chiefs game was only the third of his eight-year career he missed and only the second due to injury (he missed one last year with COVID-19).
Lockett attended Wednesday’s practice warm-up but was among eight players the Seahawks listed as non-participants. Also included in that group was running back Ken Walker III, who was given the day off to heal from the ankle injury he played through.
DK Metcalf said he was not surprised to see Lockett back to work just nine days after surgery.
“No…Tyler’s tough,” he said. “Even after the game he hurt his finger, he was still out there trying to get the ball. So that doesn’t surprise me at all.”
Carroll called it “a remarkable story” that Lockett is writing.
“He doesn’t even falter,” Carroll said. “He’s not even bothered by it.”