Getty Russell Wilson is 'ahead of schedule' in his recovery.
The Seattle Seahawks eagerly await the return of Russell Wilson after he underwent a procedure to have a pin inserted into the middle finger of his throwing hand. This return could potentially take place in the near future as Wilson remains “ahead of schedule.”
Head coach Pete Carroll met with media members on Friday, October 29, and provided the update. He explained that Wilson has made positive strides, but he also stopped short of providing a specific timeline for when the quarterback will return from Injured Reserve.
“He’s pretty positive. You know, he’s feeling really good,” Carroll told reporters during the presser. “His finger looks great. The stitches are all out and that kind of stuff. He looks great, so he’s making all of the strides that he should be making way ahead of schedule at this point. So we’ll see what that means.”
Carroll continued and explained that the pin remains in Wilson’s finger and that he has no clarity about when the doctors will remove it. “I have the clarity of that we don’t know,” Carroll added. “You know, I’m really clear about that.”
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Wilson Remains Focused While He Waits To Make His Return
My Focus. It Never Fades.
Wilson may not have the opportunity to suit up and help his teammates bounce back from a 2-5 start to the season, but he is not idly sitting at home. He is actively working on keeping sharp for when he makes his ultimate return.
Prior to landing on Injured Reserve in mid-October, Wilson worked with the team at practice. He cradled a football in his left hand and did bag drills while the other players followed him. He also worked on his throwing skills with his opposite hand while wearing a helmet and full pads, prompting offensive coordinator Shane Waldron to joke about Wilson being the first “ambidextrous guy to run the keeper game” during a press conference.
Since going on Injured Reserve, Wilson has continued to work at practice while remaining out of the lineup for the mandatory three games. Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune captured footage of the seven-time Pro Bowler running conditioning drills by himself during practice with a large wrap around his hand.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported on October 23 that Wilson could make an early return. He said during the episode of “Good Morning Football Weekend” that the doctors would remove the pin from Wilson’s finger “within the next week.”
Saturday, October 30, marks the end of the timeline, and there is no indication that this procedure will take place as Garafolo reported. That doesn’t impact Wilson and his continued preparation.
The Seahawks Will Potentially Have a New Backup QB
With Wilson out of the lineup until at least the November 14 trip to Lambeau Field, Geno Smith will remain the starting quarterback. He will face off with the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 31 and then head to the Week 9 bye. However, a new player could back him up during the next game.
Carroll faced questions about the quarterback depth on October 29, specifically regarding Jake Luton. Will the team sign the former Jaguars draft pick to the starting lineup or move forward with former Colts quarterback Jacob Eason as the primary backup?
Carroll would not provide a concrete answer, only saying that everyone would have to wait and see. Though he continued and said that Eason has been doing really well while adjusting to the new offense.
“He’s been really booking,” Carroll said on October 29. “[Quarterbacks coach] Austin Davis has been hammering him to get him caught up so that he can even have a chance to be in the decision-making there. He got a lot of work this week. We got to see him a lot, so he’s making a lot of progress quickly.”
The Seahawks will host the Jaguars on Sunday, October 31. The game will take place at 4:05 p.m. ET, with CBS providing coverage for the pivotal battle. The Seahawks will release the inactive list 1.5 hours prior to kickoff.
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