The Seattle Seahawks appear to be moving closer to having one of their most important defenders available for a pivotal NFC West game.
Head coach Mike Macdonald said Wednesday that defensive lineman Leonard Williams is doing well after suffering an ankle injury in Seattle’s 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
And, more importantly, Williams is getting back onto the practice field.
“He’s doing good,” Macdonald said on October 7 when asked about Williams. “And he’ll be out there in some capacity today.”
Macdonald had delivered a similar message earlier in his press conference when asked whether Williams would practice, saying he would “probably be out there in some capacity.”
That represents another encouraging step for Williams after the Seahawks initially feared the veteran defensive lineman could be dealing with a more significant issue.
Leonard Williams Appears to Be Trending in Right Direction
Williams injured his ankle during the fourth quarter against Los Angeles and walked off the field with a limp after being examined by Seattle’s medical staff.
Macdonald said immediately after the game that the injury “doesn’t look serious,” and then said during his October 5 appearance on Seattle Sports 710 AM that the Seahawks were “optimistic” Williams could play against San Francisco.
Wednesday’s practice participation is the next positive sign.
Williams has also been remarkably durable since arriving in Seattle. He has missed only one game since the Seahawks acquired him from the New York Giants during the 2023 season.
Seattle will still need to see how Williams responds during the week before determining his status for Sunday, but getting him onto the field this early in the practice week gives the Seahawks a much better outlook than they had when he initially went down.
Seahawks Need Leonard Williams Against 49ers Offensive Line
This is not an ideal week for Seattle to be without its top interior pass rusher.
The San Francisco 49ers have opened the season without allowing a sack through their first four games. Macdonald credited that partly to an efficient offense that has stayed ahead of schedule and allowed Brock Purdy to consistently get the football out on time.
Williams may be Seattle’s best answer for disrupting that formula from the inside.
The 32-year-old has already recorded 3.0 sacks through four games this season after totaling 11 sacks in 2024 and seven more in 2025.
His importance goes beyond the stat sheet, too.
Williams was one of the veteran defenders Jarran Reed named as a leader of a players-only defensive meeting Monday after the Seahawks piled up penalties against the Chargers.
“It was players only, no coaches,” Reed said, identifying Ernest Jones, Williams, Julian Love and himself among the defensive leaders who brought the group together.
That combination of production and leadership helps explain why Seattle invested in Williams again before the season, signing the veteran defensive tackle to a multiyear extension in August and calling him a “foundational player.”
Seahawks Also Get Another Injury Boost
Williams was not the only Seahawks defender Macdonald delivered encouraging news on Wednesday.
Safety Ty Okada, who has missed four consecutive games with a hamstring injury, is also expected to practice.
“Ty’s going to practice today,” Macdonald said when asked about Okada’s plan for the week and whether he could return Sunday.
Macdonald stopped short of declaring either defender ready for the 49ers.
But with Seattle preparing for an undefeated San Francisco team and Williams facing one of the NFL’s most efficient offenses, simply having No. 99 back on the practice field is a significant first step.
Seahawks Get Encouraging Leonard Williams Injury Update Before 49ers Game