RENTON -- Free safety Quandre Diggs and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney are both cleared to play in Sunday's NFC Wild Card playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Diggs returned to full participation in practice on Thursday after missing the last two weeks with a high-ankle sprain. The Seahawks were 4-1 in the five games they played with Diggs as a starter at free safety. The defense forced 12 turnovers during that stretch with Diggs intercepting three passes and forcing a fumble himself.
"Good. He had a good week," Carroll said. He really was able to go right back in on Wednesday and take the reps and finished up looking just like he was fine. It's really a good deal, a real plus for us. He's had a real positive impact on us and hoping he can do that again."
Clowney continues to deal with a core muscle injury that is expected to require surgery after the season. He was unable to practice until getting limited work in on Friday. It's a week-to-week situation that will linger until the team's season ends.
"We're just getting him to game-time is all we can get done right now," Carroll said. "He worked today. He got his reps in today and was able to demonstrate the game plan and that he knew what was going on and all of that. If this is what we've got, this is what we've got. We've got to work with it."
Duane Brown has been ruled out as he continues to recover from knee surgery the day after the team's loss to the Arizona Cardinals. George Fant will get a second straight start at left tackle in place of Brown.
"He hasn't been able to just jump right back," Carroll said. "He's still feeling the effects of the surgery and still trying to get through... the challenge is to get rid of the swelling. He's not bad but he's working through that. He wasn't able to make it this week. There was a chance. This would have been crazy if he'd have come back out. So we'll see where he is next week."
Fant said on Thursday that he had back spasms surface late in the loss to the San Francisco 49ers last Sunday and that he was still working through it. However, it hasn't affected him at practice during the week.
Left guard Mike Iupati was unable to practice all week as he continues to deal with issues surrounding a stinger that occurred in the loss to the Cardinals.
"We've got him as questionable," Carroll said. "We've got to wait and see. It'll go all the way to game-time."
Jamarco Jones would likely serve as the replacement for Iupati at guard should he be unable to play. Rookie Phil Haynes would also be an option at least as a reserve should the lineup need adjustment. Haynes has yet to play any snaps on the offensive line after missing half the year on the physically unable to perform list.
Wide receiver Malik Turner has also been ruled out as he has been unable to clear concussion protocol from the injury sustained two weeks ago against the Cardinals. Howver, Jaron Brown is officially listed as questionable despite a knee injury Carroll said earlier in the week would keep him out for a couple of weeks. Brown was injured early in the loss to the 49ers last week.
"Yeah. I was just telling you what we thought and he jumped back and did some stuff on Wednesday," Carroll said. "Feeling pretty good, did a little bit of Thursday. He would have practiced today. He had a family thing that he had to take care of so he had to head out of town here. I don't know what to tell you about game-time with that. He's got to take care of this family thing first, but we anticipated that today he was going to practice and go and we were shocked so he just bounced right back from it and I can't explain why other than it's just a good thing for him and for the club if he's able to play."
With Turner out and Brown's status still in doubt, the Seahawks could have just four healthy receivers in Tyler Lockett, DK Metcalf, David Moore and John Ursua. The Seahawks may look to elevate a wide receiver from their practice squad for added depth as Kendricks has yet to be moved to the injured reserve list and would open up a roster spot for an addition.
Kendricks is out after tearing his ACL last week in the loss to the 49ers.
Tight end Luke Willson is back and will play as well after missing last week's game with a hip injury sustained in practice last Friday.
"It really helps," Carroll said. "Getting back his experience. He does a number of things and he does them well at the line of scrimmage, on the move and routes and all kinds of things. We have such a background with him that it's really valuable."
Running back Marshawn Lynch is also primed for more involvement this week after getting another week of practice under his belt.
"He had no setback at all. He didn't get banged at all or anything that was a hindrance this week," Carroll said.
"He had a really good week. Seemed like it was smooth for him all the way throughout. He felt really good all the way through the practices, took all the reps that he needed to take and I was a little surprised at that. I thought maybe it would take more of a toll in the first game, but it didn't so we're in good shape going in. It really does feel different than it did a week ago at this time, cause we didn't know what was going to happen. We feel confident that we have a really nice mix in our style of runs and from our guys. It's a different feeling, more confident that we know what we've got this time around."
Carroll said that Lynch is definitely farther along with his knowledge of the offense and playbook and is fully ready to go at this point.
"He can do everything we're doing. He's got the whole game-plan," Carroll said.
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Photo Credit: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 24: Quandre Diggs #37 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates after the Eagles are unable to get the first down at Lincoln Financial Field on November 24, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 17-9. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)