In the injury news, rookie running back Kenneth Walker III will not play Thursday and, as Carroll explained, “will have a procedure done.” Carroll, who said a day earlier that Walker was traveling with a hernia, clarified: “This isn’t a sports hernia, it’s something a little bit different. We have a chance to get him back quickly.”
Linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who missed the preseason opener — though it’s not clear how much he would have played even if he had been perfectly healthy — due to a hamstring injury, returned to practice Tuesday and is urging to come back, will but may not play on Thursday.
“He wants to go, we’re still talking to him about it,” Carroll said, adding that a short week this week followed by a seven-day break before the next game means the Seahawks will play it safe at this point to bring players back from injuries for a game on Thursday night.
“We don’t want to rush any of these decisions unless we have to,” Carroll said.
Jake Curhan, who is fighting for the starting job in right tackle, was back in practice after being out a day earlier with back spasms and is ready for Thursday night, Carroll said.
Defensive end LJ Collier, out since suffering an elbow injury in Seattle earlier this month, is close to returning but won’t play on Thursday.
“We just think the game has come too fast,” said Carroll. “Maybe if it was the weekend he would be fine. We’ll get him next week.”