RENTON -- Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll didn't have a particularly optimistic response on Wednesday when asked about the status of defensive end Cliff Avril.
Carroll ruled out Avril for this Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams after he sustained a stinger last week against the Indianapolis Colts. Avril was chasing quarterback Jacoby Brissett from behind and was kicked in the jaw by the back of Brissett's foot as Avril tried to bring him to the ground.
"We're going to take some time to make sure that we're evaluating him well, like we talked about, and we're just going to hold him out," Carroll said.
So is this a long-term thing?
"Could be," Carroll said. "Like I'm saying, we're going very slowly and making sure that he takes the opportunity to talk to as many people as he needs to talk to so he knows what he's got and what we need to do with it and we're just going to take care of him and make sure that he's well. And if he wants to come back, and we want to bring him back, we'll let you know when we know but right now we don't."
Carroll said that Avril is no longer feeling any ill-effects from the collision.
"I think he's fine. He feels fine from what he said the other day," Carroll said.
Avril was seen shaking his arms on the sidelines in an apparent attempt to re-gain some feeling into his extremities.
Avril is coming off a Pro Bowl season with Seattle in which he recorded a career-high 11.5 sacks. Losing him for any substantial period of time would be a significant blow for the Seahawks. However, neck and spinal injuries are a serious issue. Avril and the Seahawks are treating it as such.
Whether he'll be able to return, and when that could be, remain unknown at this point.
Rees Odhiambo back at practice after brief hospital stay for bruised sternum:
Left tackle Rees Odhiambo was back at practice on Wednesday and could easily be back in the starting lineup this week despite a scary situation Sunday night that led to an overnight hospital stay.
"He's going to practice today," Carroll said prior to practice. "He went through the walkthrough and all that. He's made a quick turn (around). It will be important to see - we're in pads today - and see how he handles that but very favorable turn here so we'll see what happens."
Odhiambo had been injured in the third quarter when Colts defensive end Jabaal Sheard blocked him in the chest on an interception return by Malik Hooker. Odhiambo didn't miss a snap and was able to return to the game on Seattle's next possess ion. After the game, he began experiencing shortness of breath and needed assistance from the medical staff. He was tended to for at least 15 minutes before a stretcher was brought in to take his to the hospital for evaluation.
"It was just hard to breathe out there," he said. "The only thing I couldn't do was just catch my breath. I was able to feel strong in everything I was doing but I just wanted to get out there and make sure I could finish and do things right and end the game."
Odhiambo said he didn't remember much about the experience in the locker room after the game and noted he "blacked out" at times between the locker room and the hospital.
"It felt all right at the time so I kept on playing," Odhiambo said. "Once the game was over, the fact the adrenaline wore off, the pain got a lot more. So they just took me to the hospital just to make sure everything was all right."
It was determined that Odhiambo suffered a bruised sternum in the game against the Colts. He was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and intends to do everything he can to play against the Rams this weekend.
"I'm going to try to get to go out there and play," Odhiambo said.
Injury Notes:
-- Cornerback Jeremy Lane appears to be a long shot to play against the Rams this week. He injured his groin on the fourth defensive snap of Sunday's win over the Indianapolis Colts.
"It’s going to be a long week for him," Carroll said. "We are going to see all the way through the end of the week, if he can make a comeback on this thing. But he won’t be able to practice for the next couple days."
-- Cornerback Neiko Thorpe was limited in practice on Wednesday. Thorpe has missed the last two games after spraining an ankle against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2.
"We are really excited to get him back," Carroll said. "We will need to see how he handles the work, but he is going to practice today and we will see how it goes."
Seattle would likely need to add a cornerback from their practice squad this weekend should Lane and Thorpe both be unable to play against the Rams.
Injury Report:
Photo Credit: SEATTLE, WA - OCTOBER 01: Jacoby Brissett #7 of the Indianapolis Colts tries to escape defensive end Cliff Avril #56 of the Seattle Seahawks in the first quarter at CenturyLink Field on October 1, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)