Seattle Seahawks head coach Jim Mora told reporters after practice today that offensive tackle Walter Jones will have arthroscopic surgery on his surgically repaired left knee on Thursday to clean up what is believed to be loose bodies or scar tissue from his previous surgery.
Mora said the issued was discovered after Jones received an MRI.
Mora said there’s no timetable for Jones’ return. However, the team doesn’t expect Jones to be out for an extended period of time.
Jones’ surgery will be performed by Dr. Ed Khalfayan at Seattle Surgery Center.
Mora also announced that defensive back Marcus Trufant has a “disk issue” discovered after the team had an MRI performed on his back, but is getting better and will not have surgery.
“It’s good that we found this out now rather than in the middle of the season and try to push him through it because now we can make some decision on how we move forward,” Mora said.
Mora said Trufant has been rehabilitating in the pool at the team’s facility. Mora described Trufant’s injury as similar to Matt Hasselbeck’s back injury last season, and that the experience of dealing with the Seattle’s quraterback’s bulging disk should help in the treatment of Trufant.
Mora said Trufant also does not have a timetable for his return, and that the team was approaching the regular season as both Jones and Trufant will not be ready for the team’s opener Sept. 13 at Qwest Field against the St. Louis Rams
Jones returned to practice on Monday after missing nearly two weeks with back spasms. However, he only made it through halfway of practice before asking out of a team drill due to pain in his knee. Jones later left the field with a trainer. The veteran tackle had only worked out in three of the team’s 21 practices during training camp.
Trufant was placed on the physically unable to perform list at the beginning of camp, and is eligible to join the team on active roster until the Seahawks make final cuts for the 53-man roster. If Trufant cannot pass a physical at that time, the team can keep him up the PUP list and Trufant would have to miss at least the first six weeks of the season.
Mora said linebacker Aaron Curry suffered a slight groin pull during Tuesday night’s practice and should be ready to play on Saturday. Curry did not practice Wednesday afternoon.
Others who did not practice include Grey Ruegamer (elbow), Lawrence Jackson (groin), Nate Burleson (hamstring), Julius Jones (bruised thigh) and Courtney Taylor.
Julius Jones is expected to be ready for Saturday’s game.
You have got to be kidding me.
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I’ve got a theory here…we missed the SB loser’s curse, so now we’re paying for it two years in a row…
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This is excatly no one believes the hawks when they tell us its just a sore back..
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FFFFUUUU
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Hope is not lost for me, we still have a lot of talent.
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so it was the knee – damn. bad news.
still – slightly better to know and deal with it now than in week 8. but that’s just trying to find a silver lining in a dark cloud.
locklear goes to LT now?
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Lock
Sims
Spencer
Unger
Willis
Could be worse. Certainly could be better though.
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Damn you Eric Williams!
Sometimes you have to shoot the messenger..
If there is a silver lining, it’s that the O-line has three full weeks to play TOGETHER as a starting unit and get some cohesiveness..
As far as Trufant. Um, yeah, Eric better run..
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I’m starting to wonder what type of training our strength and fitness coaches are doing as we seem to lead the league in back injuries. We had half a dozen last year and now already Walter Jones, Trufant. Less weights, more stretching. Bulging disks take months to recover from. I’m on month five and my job doesn’t require covering Larry Fitzgerald. Good luck Tru, hope you get well soon……..we gotta have you in there. Go Hawks!!
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In all honestly, while the Trufant injury sucks, I have no problem with Wilson/Lucas starting. I actually think our CB performance with those two are better than our starting CB tandem at the start of last year with Trufant/Jennings. It’s not because I think Tru is bad (Jennings is), it’s because I think our front is going to generate a lot more pressure to put the DBs in much better position to be successful (not have to cover as long).
The Trufant injury isn’t doom-and-gloom, but the Jones injury leaves us VERY thin with quality OL on our bench. Wrotto is probably the only back-up that I think is okay. The rest? I think they are bad. If they have to play it’s time to run draw plays on 3rd and 10 (remember them?) and max protect with 394 blockers in pass protection or we’ll have dead QBs.
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Levi Jones?
The BobbyK O line sounds right until Oct when Spencer goes on IR. Then it will be Lock-Sims-Unger-Wrotto-Willis.
Gee Ruskell, couldn’t see this coming?
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An interesting thought on the PUP. Players aren’t eligible to come back until after week 6. We play 6 weeks and then we get our bye. That would be a perfect time to have a free week and get Walt and Tru ready to play again(assuming they are ready to play). I assume Walt would still be eligible to go to the PUP?
IMO the first part of the schedule is our “easy” part. Yes, we play each division team but two of those games are at home (including AZ). At the same time, this is the NFC West we’re talking about. The game at Indy won’t be easy, but Chicago and Jax aren’t exactly world beaters. It certainly seems easier than the second half coming out of the bye when we’re on the road more than home. With or without Walt/Tru, I think we should be at worst case scenario at 4-2 entering our bye.
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I forgot about Vallos. He’s okay depth. Not exactly a cornerstone of a team with Super aspirations though.
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Eric, how did it feel to have to type this one up?
Well, the Walt issue: additional injuries aside, the line seems to actually be coming along. They have capable and skilled players (yes, even Sims) that seems to be adapting to the zone blocking. We’ll see more Saturday, of course. So the loss of Walt isn’t catastrophic. I just don’t want to see such a great warrior’s career come to an end this way.
Trufant: Dare I say, worst case scenario. On that side of the ball, he may as important as any player on this team. Wilson and Lucas are more than capable and game corners, but the depth. Simply put, this defense just got significantly more vulnerable. The emphasis on pass rush cannot be overstated. All I can say is “get well soon”, this team need you.
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Tru would only miss the first 6 games if they start the season with him on it. If he passes a physical before the opener, he will be eligible to play at any time.
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Here we go again……….
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bobby,
Walt can’t go on the PUP. Once a player has been active at any time during training camp it’s either IR or he has to be on the 53 man roster.
Tru can stay on the PUP until week 6.
The team either has to put Walt on IR (gone for season), carry him as dead weight until/if he can play, or cut him (gone forever)
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Without Tru, we can still manage 4-2, perhaps even 5-1, if we can take Az at home…I didn’t really expect us to win in Indy anyhow, and the lambs, niners, bears and jags don’t exactly tight it up in the air…so realistically, Tru has seven weeks to get to playing status, and we can keep him out on running downs.
As far as the OL goes, at least they’re getting reps together, although Wrotto is playing RG for the first team, while Unger is playing C for the 2nd…(so Unger can get reps at C, and if he’s ready, replace Spencer, who would slide over to RG? Perhaps we can keep Big Walt on rehab, and have him available in an emergency situation, or for the playoffs?
The situation’s not good, but it is survivable…(I hope)
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It’s hard to beleive this bad back deal (bulging disk) snuck up on the team and just reared it’s head first day of camp. Tru must’ve known during OTA’s, even as far back as the draft. They must’ve known before this latest MRI seems like something shoulda been done weeks if not months ago, But then maybe Lucas is here because of his bad back!!
Still your million dollar investment, you would think would be watched closer than it seems that they are.
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I am convinced now that they are doing something wrong at training camp. There are way too many injuries already.
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It’s football. Injuries happen. Look around the league. Every team has injuries. But focus on Seattle and claim that it is only Seattle and the staff has to be blamed if that’s what get’s you through this.
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Walter is close to being done. He’s been a player who has played without many obvious injuries for his career but lately unfortunately he’s showing some vulnerability.
We need to add some depth at OT. TR still has work to do before the team is set for the season.
If Tru is IR’d for the year then we’ll also need to find more depth at CB.
Bummer!
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Dear Walter Jones,
Get well soon!
I wonder if Unger will get more of the time at RG with the first unit now that he’s needed there since it appears the loser of Lock/Willis won’t be shifting over to RG.
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I just get sick and tired of the BS when a player doesn’t practice. I knew that Jones and Tru weren’t right; just like Matt H last year. We’re going to suck; exit bandwagon stage right.
I just got done telling my friend at happy hour, instead of having 10-15 guys not practicing every day, you just have to commit to overhauling the has beens. Here’s to 3-13(hope I’m wrong).
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Tru already has 3wks of non-action, by week 7 it will be around a total of 12weeks of rest. He should be ready by then.. One would think anyway
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olsonc – “overhauling the has beens” Trufant is a has been? Burleson? Tatupu? I mean, these are all people who have missed practice time and isn’t that how you defined a “has been”? The sky isn’t falling. It is deflating news to be sure, but training camp injures happen to every team in the league, every single year. “…exit bandwagon stage right.” “Here’s to 3-13…” I’ll assume that’s the watered down Crown and Cokes you and your buddy were sucking down at happy hour. Fail.
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A few of us were really hoping for a LT in the 09 draft. Easy to ask now, but how many wish we would have kept Peterson, not drafted Curry and added a Tackle at #4?
It made the most sense at the time to me, and still does.
Hope Curry works out, also hope Matt can stay upright.
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Now I am thinking rather than Eric Berry, we use Denver’s as well as a 2nd or 3rd and get up to one of the top spots and grab Russell Okung.
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Then we nab Colt McCoy with our first and call it good.
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Let’s give Teel at least one year, to see if drafting a QB in the first next season is necessary. I can’t even imagine who the names de jour will be here after the college season. Not smart enough to approach that subject now.
I’m actually beginning to feel pretty good about the line, this year. Depth aside, it’s the most versatile group in recent memory. I still think the Peterson trade was a great move. Bolster the interior d line while adding a far more versatile linebacker. We’ll see how it all plays out but I’m still very excited.
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Someone get Paul Allen on the phone to okay the offseason hiring of the Phoenix Suns Orthopeadic’s/Back specialists who somehow managed to revive Shaquille O’neal’s career which had looked done the two years previous(knees, back and feet). They also manage to keep a aging Steve Nash playing well with a faulty back. Ohh yeah… Grant *glass knees* Hill (not sure he ever had a full season b4 moving to Arizona) somehow has 3 full seasons playing there. 3 minor/perhaps major medical miracles might be worth a move.
Don’t tell Bill Bidwell- might have to smuggle them out of Phoenix.
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I am very happy with DD Lewis as a starter. He’s obviously not going to start with Hill/Curry around, but he’s a good player. No matter what, getting Redding (and a pick) for JP was good. Our line needed bigger/better bodies so the LBs can make plays. After Jason Smith was taken, IMO there wasn’t a great option at LT with the other Smith or Monroe at #4 according to the “experts” (I was on the Oher bandwagon and would have been fine with him over Curry). No matter what, it is now what it is and nothing is going to change. I’m mad about the Tru/Walt situations, but not ready to claim we’re going to suck (because we’re not). Also, look around the league. Other teams have guys banged up too. Hell, a few have even lost starters for the year. You may not like to hear this, but we are going to lose a few starters this year at some point and it’s not only going to be our team it happens to. It’s just the way it is.
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we’re going to be fine and we’re going to win the NFC West this season.
chin up gang.
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If we could have enough faith in Teel that we wouldn’t have to draft a QB in the first round next year — that would be cool! I’d rather not invest that much $ in a guy who isn’t going to be good anyways at that position for a few years. And that would allow us to grab some other stuff like a pair of OL to play next to each other for 10 years. The Broncos should end up with a pick near 5-10 which should get us a LT and then we’ll be picking #32 and we can get a good LG there. To go along with Unger (after we lose Spencer in FA), we’ll have 3 guys for at least 10 years. Then we won’t have to worry about mixing and matching OL anymore.
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Wait, I thought the 35-year-old recently injury-prone LT was going to be fine so there wasn’t a need to draft his replacement…
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No,
The team recently signed Locklear to a bigger contract in the anticipation that he would, some day, be the replacement for Walter at LT. That is why the team didn’t see the need to draft a LT this year.
The move has to take place sooner than anybody hoped but Lock to LT and Willis to RT was always the plan down the road.
If Lock and Willis show they can’t handle the jobs they have been being groomed for THEN the team has to consider a LT in next years draft.
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I’m not so much worried about the OL. And, as earlier stated, if we can get pass rush Wilson/Lucas should suffice on the corners. But, if our pass rush is weak, we’re in some trouble (obviously).
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AMEN TremR !!! More important than any other move is to get rid-off of the current trainers. Something is wrong with their work. What is the point of having a sports team and paying 100s of mills if your staff cannot keep them playing. Injuries happen in any sport.
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Bobby, I am still in Oher’s corner. How about this : LoJack and Branch for Oher? We eat the financial loss and Ruskell saves his face. We get a (good)LT we need, and Ravens get two players for free.
Next year we draft Okung with the highest pick we have.
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Hard to remain positive with this news.
I think Ray Willis has pass protection concerns. He is a devastating run blocker; we will be more effective running behind him than we ever were with Locklear. He has looked vulnerable to speed rushers off the edge, he needs to improve there.
Locklear is a good pass blocker so we should be fine holding down Matt’s blind side. He is a very average if not below average run blocker. We will not be the ‘left handed’ team we have been in the running game with no Walter Jones.
Trufant is the best defensive back we have, and last year we allowed more passing yards than any team in the league. We were the worst. If people don’t think losing our best defensive back when we are trying to improve from worst the league, I think they are smoking something different.
If I am Ruskell I am on the phone looking for help. We could sign Mike McKenzie, and Levi Jones…….
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I’d go for one more trade : Rowe and Taylor or, Bumpus for Giants’ rook
QB Rhett Bomar (third QB for the same + some sugar). The reason why I like Bomar is his playing style and personality. He is an relentless gunslinger and fearless warrior. Hi has good mobility and his fire never goes out. One thing I will guarantee is : he’ll do anything to surpass Bradford. That is his “chip-on-the-shoulder”. He reminds me of (hated) Elway.
With Teel already in, we will have two great prospects to fight it out for Matt’s position when he retires.
Another guarantee : it will NOT take Bomar that long to get to the Big Dance
as long it took Matt ( if given a chance).
Negative about Bomar is if doesn’t get to start soon enough, his fire will die and he will just disappear. He doesn’t have the mental stamina to wait 8 years for his chance to start and shine.
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If Spencer isn’t capable of securing the Center position as many claim, why is he not slid to one of the Guard positions where he may/will excel? Vallos or Unger have the C position covered IMO. Losing another #1 draft pick, Spencer, to free agency seems unnecessary. Sims, it appears, is the questionable *weakest* link – with the recent addition of Locklear at LT. Walter will be sorely missed. I’m optimistic on Trufant possibly not missing a beat come regular season. The Rams don’t even have a threat with Avery out. And the 9ers? But come that AZ game, no-one plays Fitzgerald much better.
Questioning the Peterson trade – picking up Redding – drafting Curry. Hill had the cap tied up at the time. But, all in all, and I’m a critic of TR, that was an exceptional move no matter how the situation with LT turns out. We landed Lucas and TR still managed to sign Hill, outstanding!
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* He has good mobility
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The Ravens wouldn’t consider that offer. LoJack has proven to be a bust up to this point and Branch is an injury prone WR. There’s no way they’d trade a probable franchise rookie LT for two guys who not all of us even want, especially considering the Branch salary.
In a perfect world, we’d trade a 7th round pick in 2099 to the Cardinals for Fitz.
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Bobby k-
we’ree not sure what the NFL will hand to hill- so you may get your wish of DD starting…………which I agree wouldn’t be all that bad
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olsonc – “overhauling the has beens” Trufant is a has been? Burleson? Tatupu? I mean, these are all people who have missed practice time and isn’t that how you defined a “has been”? The sky isn’t falling. It is deflating news to be sure, but training camp injures happen to every team in the league, every single year. “…exit bandwagon stage right.” “Here’s to 3-13…” I’ll assume that’s the watered down Crown and Cokes you and your buddy were sucking down at happy hour. Fail
Ok, I admit I was overreacting, but I’m definitely bummed. I just hope we can get 5 guys that are able to block and that we can still run the ball. But, without Walter Jones, how effective do you think they’ll be? I’m skeptical. I didn’t watch the preseason game, but I heard our db’s were getting torched minus a Trufant; so I’m not too excited about that either.
This is what I wonder, will we be effective with Josh Wison or Kelly Jennings starting aside Ken Lucas, and will our line be able to muster better than 2.8 yards per carry. On the flip side we still have 3 preseason games to figure that out.
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I don’t think Hill is better than Lewis. I just think DD is a good, solid player.
I still think our secondary is going to be better this year without Tru just for the simple fact that John Marshall isn’t here and we’re going to generate much more pressure. It’s not a knock on Tru, it’s a compliment to the new defensive coaches and the players of the front 4 especially (since the LBs were already good last year).
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Oops – meant to say I don’t think Lewis is better than Hill. Hill is better. But I do happen to think DD is a fine fill in though.
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