RENTON -- As the Seahawks returned to the practice field from their bye week, they saw two players able to take the practice field with them for the first time.
Cornerback D.J. Reed and tight end Colby Parkinson each took part after missing the first six weeks on the non-football injury list.
Reed was claimed off waivers by Seattle back in August after he sustained a torn pectoral prior to the start of training camp with the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers waived him thinking he would miss most of the season. Instead, the Seahawks claimed him and kept him on the roster throughout training camp before moving him to the reserve/non-football injury list to begin the year.
"He's played free safety, corner and nickel and so we're going to utilize that background to figure out where it fits best for us," head coach Pete Carroll said. "So we took a look at a couple spots today."
Parkinson, one of Seattle's two fourth-round picks in this spring's NFL Draft, sustained a Jones fracture in his foot during offseason workouts in June. The injury required surgery and Parkinson also went on the non-football injury list.
"We're all looking forward to him being back out there," Carroll said. "He's benefited enormously from the offseason program that he's been in. He looks strong, he's more fit. He's pumped up. He's over 6-7 so he looks huge out there. He had a good first day. He had a really good first day. We'll just see what happens, see where it fits into the mix as we go. He's a really smart kid that's been studying like crazy. I don't think it will take him long to know his assignments and all that. Technique-wise and technically he's going to have to show that he's come a long way before we can figure that he can help us or not. But a real positive sign for today and he was really excited. I came off the field with him and he was just on cloud nine to be back out playing football with his buddies so pretty good."
Reed and Parkinson have 21 days to practice with the team before the team will have to make a decision on whether to add them to their active roster. They will have to be activated before Nov. 9 to be eligible to play this season. The team could elect to add them to the roster any time over the next three weeks as well.
While not exactly the best defined name for the list itself, the non-football injury list covers injuries incurred outside the NFL environment. So anything that happens away from team headquarters or during NFL games while players are on their own working out or doing recreational activities falls under this umbrella. It gives teams more financial options should players be unable to play as opposed to the physically unable to perform list, which is essentially the same list for directly NFL-related injuries.
While Carroll tried to be somewhat vague with injuries as the team isn't required to produce an injury report on Monday, he indicated that they could be close to getting several players back in the lineup. Safety Jamal Adams (groin) and linebacker Jordyn Brooks (knee) have missed the last two games each and could be back this week. Wide receiver Phillip Dorsett (foot) and defensive end Rasheem Green (back) are both on injured reserve and are nearly being able to return to the field as well. Dorsett and Green both would be eligible to come off the injured list this week if they are healthy enough to do so.
Photo Credit: SANTA CLARA, CA - DECEMBER 09: Case Keenum #4 of the Denver Broncos recovers his fumble after a hit by D.J. Reed #32 of the San Francisco 49ers during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on December 9, 2018 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)