Getty Josh Gordon is expected to make his Seahawks debut against the 49ers.
There has been no official word on whether new Seattle Seahawks receiver Josh Gordon will play versus the 49ers, but Russell Wilson may have let the cat out of the bag. Wilson initially said it was a question for the coaches but admitted he expects Gordon to play against San Francisco.
“It’s a coach question but I think he’ll definitely probably get in there [against the 49ers], for sure,” Wilson noted in his press conference.
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll stopped short of saying Gordon would play against the Niners, but he noted that there was a “good chance” the receiver would see the field.
“Pete Carroll on Josh Gordon playing Monday night: ‘Wait and see. There’s a good chance.’ Carroll said Gordon had a good week of practice and picked up the playbook well. He’s not listed on their final injury report, signifying he’s healthy enough to play,” ESPN’s Brady Henderson tweeted.
The good news is Gordon looks to have been a full participant in Saturday’s practice and was not listed on the injury report. Gordon was limited earlier in the week with an ankle injury.
George Kittle Is Listed as Doubtful Against the Seahawks
While the Seahawks appear to be getting a boost to their offense, the 49ers are likely to be without their top weapon as George Kittle is listed as doubtful. Niners Nation called the news a huge break for the Seahawks.
Meanwhile, the Seahawks get a break. Kittle is one of the most dangerous players on the field, both as a pass catcher and as a runblocker and his absence is going to really hurt. We’ve all stated the moment Kittle goes down is the moment the 49ers are in for a world of hurt.
D.K. Metcalf Admitted He Is Learning a Lot from Josh Gordon
D.K. Metcalf has had a strong start to his rookie season, but the young receiver admitted he is learning a lot from watching Gordon. The rookie receiver noted that Gordon is the first receiver that he has played with that is close to his size.
“He’s not really talkative,” Metcalf told Yahoo Sports. “Just seeing him work and how he’s come in from Day 1 trying to learn the offense and how he runs routes. I’m trying to pick his brain while we’re at practice and trying to learn some new stuff from him…He knows what he’s doing out there. He’s been in clutch situations. He’s seen some of the top corners in the league. I see him taking notes. I’m trying to compete with him taking notes.”
Gordon poses a problem to opposing defenses given he was added to an already strong Seahawks receiving group. The Seahawks can now run three-receiver sets featuring Gordon, Metcalf and Tyler Lockett which puts the secondary in a difficult position to know who to defend. Earlier this week, Carroll emphasized that Gordon would only play if he can help the team win against the Niners.
“He’s really talented,” Carroll said, per Seahawks.com. “He looked talented in the walk through. He’s a big, good looking kid and all that. He’s just got to fit in and see if we can fit it together where it’s not a distraction for us. We’re not going to put him in the game to throw him the ball. We’re trying to win a football game. If he can help us do that then we’ll figure out a way.”
