Uchenna Nwosu’s return to the Seahawks defense proved to be short-lived for now.
Nwosu, who hadn’t played since last October 22, missing 15 games because of pectoral and knee injuries, returned for Sunday’s 29-20 loss against the Giants.
He was on the field for just 20 snaps before leaving again with a thigh injury and missing the entire second half.
That injury will keep him sidelined for at least Thursday night’s NFC West showdown with the San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field and possibly longer, coach Mike Macdonald said Monday during his weekly day-after-game news conference.
“We won’t get him back Thursday and then we’ll see here in the next few days if it’s going to be longer than that,’’ Macdonald said.
The Seahawks did not put Nwosu on injured reserve when he suffered a knee injury against Cleveland in the preseason Aug. 24, hoping he could return in less than the four games required if he went on IR.
The Seahawks could consider an IR stint now if Nwosu may be out that long.
Macdonald also said rookie Byron Murphy II will likely miss a third straight game with a hamstring injury suffered on Sept. 22 against the Dolphins.
“We’re still not sure on the timetable,’’ Macdonald said. “Looks like it might take one more week.’’
The Seahawks listed both Nwosu and Murphy as non-participants in on its Monday injury report. The Seahawks held only a walk-through so the report was an estimation of what practice would have looked like had the team held one.
That will leave the Seahawks again short-handed up front, especially with it unclear if either of rush ends/outside linebackers Derick Hall or Boye Mafe will be able to play.
Hall suffered a foot injury late in the game that had him officially listed as questionable to return — he played 46 snaps before departing.
Macdonald said only that he wasn’t sure about Hall’s potential availability for Thursday night. The team listed Hall as a non-participant on its injury report Monday.
Mafe missed a second straight game Sunday with a knee injury. Mafe was listed as questionable to play against the Giants after returning to practice on a limited basis Thursday and Friday.
Macdonald said the team will need to evaluate him during the week to see if he can play Thursday.
In what seemed like a sign of some hope, the team listed Mafe as a limited participant on its injury report for Monday.
“Boye wants to play,’’ Macdonald said. “He’s working his tail off. It’s just a matter of if we can pull the trigger or not at this point, if it’s safe for him to go and he feels right. So we’ll see. It’s going to come down to the wire right now with Boye.’’
The good news up front is that Leonard Williams made it through the game without any setbacks after missing the previous week’s contest at Detroit with a rib injury.
“To my knowledge Leonard is good,’’ Macdonald said. The team listed Williams as a full participant on its injury report.
Without Nwosu, the Seahawks used veteran Trevis Gipson some on the edge and he finished with 11 snaps.
Without Mafe and Nwosu against Detroit, the Seahawks elevated Tyus Bowser off the practice squad and he ended up starting.
Bowser was signed to Miami’s 53-man roster last week and is no longer an option.
The Seahawks do have some other edge-rush options on the practice squad if needed in rookie Jamie Sheriff and Tyreke Smith.
No word yet on status of Woolen
The Seahawks could have some issues in the secondary as it’s unclear if cornerback Riq Woolen will be able to play against the 49ers after suffering an ankle injury Sunday.
Woolen first suffered the injury late in the second quarter at the same time Nwosu was injured. Woolen returned shortly after but left for good in the fourth quarter, playing 49 of 72 defensive snaps. He was listed as a non-participant for practice Monday.
“Riq has an ankle and I’ll have some news for you by the time we play,’’ Macdonald said. “It will become a little more clear. I’m not sure right now.’’
Woolen was replaced by rookie fifth-round pick Nehemiah Pritchett, who was credited with a pass breakup on a third-down pass on the Giants’ final full possession of the game that got the Seahawks the ball back, down 23-20. He had a tackle, playing 12 snaps.
The snaps were the first for Pritchett other than the final series of the 24-3 win over Miami.
“[He’s] doing the things that we expect him to do when we drafted him,’’ Macdonald said. “But excited to see him have some poise and some physicality at the point of attack was really good.’’
If Woolen can’t go, Pritchett could get his first start against the 49ers.
The Seahawks could elevate veteran Artie Burns off the practice squad and have him start, instead. Burns, a first-round pick of the Steelers in 2016, has 38 career starts.
He has yet to play this season after suffering a toe injury during the preseason. He has appeared healthy the last few weeks, seen on the field practicing during the periods open to the media.
Macdonald professes faith in Tre Brown
The Giants appeared to be trying to get receiver Darius Slayton in positions to be matched up by Seahawks cornerbacks other than Woolen or Devon Witherspoon.
Of Slayton’s 11 targets, five came against Tre Brown — who started on the left side but moved around — and four against Pritchett.
Via the charting of Pro Football Focus, Slayton caught all five of his targets against Brown for 93 yards, including a 41-yard reception and a 30-yarder for a TD a few plays later that put the Giants ahead for good in the third quarter.
Slayton caught two of four targets against Pritchett for 22 yards, but as noted, Pritchett broke up a late third-down pass his way. Slayton caught one pass when matched up against Witherspoon, making up his eight receptions for 122 yards in a game that the Giants played without leading receiver Malik Nabers, who was out with a concussion. Slayton did not have a target against Woolen.
@Seattle Times