RENTON — While nearly all members of the Seattle Seahawks returned to the practice field Monday, one player was on his way home after spending the past week in Dallas following neck surgery.
Wide receiver Ricardo Lockette arrived in Seattle on Monday after being released from Baylor University Medical Center last Thursday.
Lockette had surgery to stabilize his neck last Monday after suffering ligament damage, a disk injury and a concussion in a collision with Jeff Heath of the Dallas Cowboys late in the first half of Seattle’s 13-12 victory.
“He bounced back. He’s got a great spirit, so he bounced back with an attitude that wouldn’t surprise us,” coach Pete Carroll said. “He couldn’t wait to get back to his teammates and get back with us.”
Lockette was heading upfield to block for returner Tyler Lockett when Heath caught Lockette from the side and knocked him out.
Lockette remained motionless on the Cowboys midfield star logo for several minutes before being strapped to a stretcher and carted from the field to an ambulance.
He had surgery the next day to stabilize his neck and remained in the hospital a few extra days for evaluation.
Left tackle Russell Okung and running back Marshawn Lynch stayed behind with Lockette in Dallas after the game.
“It’s a game, at the end of the day,” Okung said. “Just kind of seeing him there, you hate that for him. We just know however he ends up, he’s an even better man than he is a player.”
Lockette is expected to miss the rest of the season, but has not yet been placed on injured reserve.
Two players who are expected to play soon are cornerback Jeremy Lane and receiver Paul Richardson.
Lane returned to practice Monday for the first time since tearing his ACL and breaking his arm in the Super Bowl in February. He’s spent the first nine weeks of the season on the physically unable to perform list.
“He looked really quick and looked comfortable and all that,” Carroll said. “He’s worked really, really hard to get to this point. It’s fun to see him back out there.”
Lane intercepted a pass by New England quarterback Tom Brady in the end zone and sustained both injuries on the runback when he was tackled by Julian Edelman.
Carroll would not rule out the possibility that Lane could play this week, but said the Seahawks need to see how the week goes. Lane was limited in his first practice with the team on Monday.
“I’m sure he’s going to want to and we want to get him out there,” Carroll said. “We’ll just take it one day at a time and see how he recovers.”
Richardson practiced all week leading into the Dallas game but was not activated from the physically unable to perform list. Carroll said Richardson is expected to play Sunday night against the Arizona Cardinals.
“He looks really good, so we’re really excited to see what he can do and see how he can push the other guys,” Carroll said.
