The Seattle Seahawks will have to replace Rashid Shaheed in more than one phase against the Chicago Bears.
Seattle officially ruled the receiver and return specialist out on Saturday, Oct. 31, after a knee injury kept him out of all three practices. Shaheed will miss Monday night’s matchup at Lumen Field, turning a week of uncertainty into a concrete adjustment for the Seahawks.
And he is not the only return option unavailable. Velus Jones Jr. was also ruled out with a hamstring injury, putting more attention on second-year receiver Tory Horton.
Head coach Mike Macdonald offered an update on Shaheed on Saturday, though his comments stopped short of establishing a return date.
Mike Macdonald Updates Rashid Shaheed’s Knee Injury
“Right now, he’s out this game and we’ll recalibrate next week,” Macdonald said, according to Seahawks.com’s John Boyle.
That leaves Seattle with a confirmed absence against Chicago and an evaluation still to come afterward. Saturday’s designation does not establish how much additional time, if any, Shaheed will miss.
Shaheed injured his knee during Seattle’s Oct. 25 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs and did not return. The initial assessment sounded encouraging: Macdonald said during his Oct. 26 appearance on Seattle Sports’ “Brock and Salk” that the early returns were positive.
That was welcome news about the injury’s initial outlook. It was never a promise that Shaheed would be ready for Chicago.
The practice week provided the next piece of evidence. Shaheed never progressed to limited participation, finishing Thursday, Friday and Saturday as a nonparticipant before Seattle ruled him out.
The Seahawks now move forward without waiting for a game-day decision on one of their offensive and special teams weapons.
Tory Horton Faces Bigger Opportunity Against Bears
Boyle reported that Shaheed’s absence should produce a larger offensive role for Horton, who also is likely to handle some of the return duties.
Those are separate responsibilities to absorb. Seattle needs receiving snaps covered while also sorting out the plays that determine where its offense starts possessions.
Jones’ absence narrows the available options further. This is more than a straightforward swap of one receiver for another; Seattle enters Monday without two players who factor into its return personnel.
Shaheed has caught 16 passes for 163 yards this season, according to NFL.com. His receiving totals represent only part of the workload Seattle must replace.
For Horton, the opportunity is clear, even if the exact distribution of snaps and returns has not been announced. A larger role would give him more chances to contribute alongside Seattle’s established receiving options.
The Seahawks do have help arriving elsewhere. Macdonald confirmed that Zach Charbonnet will make his season debut against Chicago after recovering from his playoff ACL injury.
That gives Seattle another backfield option. Horton’s assignment is different: help cover the receiving and return work left behind by Shaheed’s absence.
Seattle Seahawks Make Rashid Shaheed Announcement Before Bears Game