Jimmy Graham and Thomas Rawls both had their 2015 seasons ended with an injury. According to a report, the Seattle Seahawks will be conservative in bringing both back, as neither is expected to see the field until the regular season.
“Neither TE Jimmy Graham nor RB Thomas Rawls will play in the preseason for Seattle,” per ESPN’s Sheil Kapadia. “Both players are coming off season-ending injuries — ruptured patellar tendon for Graham, fractured ankle for Rawls — and the team will be patient as they get back to full strength.”
With Graham, this isn’t terribly surprising. He’s an established veteran, and even though it would be nice to get he and Russell Wilson on the same page as soon as possible, being cautious with him was predictable.
Rawls is a different story. He had some monster games filling in for Marshawn Lynch in 2015 and figured to be a huge part of the offense this year. This doesn’t change that, necessarily, but it’s worth noting that Seattle drafted C.J. Prosise, Alex Collins, and Zac Brooks — all running backs.
Granted, that’s a position where depth is not just an asset, but a necessity. Still, drafting three backs and sitting the presumed workhorse out in the preseason raises an interesting question. Are they being cautious with Rawls, or do they maybe have information to indicate that his injuries are a little more serious?
It’s definitely a situation to monitor as training camp approaches.