By Bob Condotta
The Seattle Times
Mychal Kendricks, who has been the Seahawks’ primary weakside linebacker the last three games in place of injured K.J. Wright, has been suspended indefinitely, according to the official NFL transactions.
The Seahawks on Tuesday also officially placed Earl Thomas on Injured Reserve after he broke his left tibia Sunday, and also put tight end Will Dissly on IR after he suffered a patellar tendon injury against the Cardinals.
The Seahawks knew a decision one way or the other was coming on Kendricks at some point as the NFL reviewed his case after he plead guilty to an insider trading charge last month.
But the Seahawks had gotten word the last three weeks that no decision had yet been made and Kendricks could play.
Tuesday came word of a suspension and that he cannot play, so Seattle will have to turn elsewhere for a weakside linebacker. Wright has missed the first four games following surgery on his knee to fix an injury that occurred in the preseason against Minnesota and it’s unclear if he can play this Sunday against the Rams.
That means Seattle may have to turn to Austin Calitro, who played that position for much of the opener against Denver. Rookie Shaquem Griffin is also a backup at weakside linebacker.
Seattle signed Kendricks following the struggles at the WLB spot in the Denver game and with Bobby Wagner also out against Chicago and Calitro and Kendricks started together inside against the Bears.
Carroll said Monday that Wright was “stepping up his workouts. We’ll know more later in the week here (as to) where he is, but he is running and so he’s on the road back now. I can’t tell you when that’s going to happen.”
Kendricks was sixth on the team with 15 tackles and also had two sacks in three game.
“I think he’s really a good ball player,” Carroll said Monday of Kendricks. “We’ll miss him if he doesn’t get to play with us but while we have him, we’re going to continue to work him.”
Thomas going on IR essentially ends his season. By rule he could return after eight games but his injury is considered one that would not heal in time to return during the regular season.
Thomas can become an unrestricted free agent in March.
Dissly’s injury is considered long-term and there is no chance he can play again in 2018.
