SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 05: Quandre Diggs #6 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with fans after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 30-23 at Lumen Field on December 05, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)Photo: Getty Images
RENTON -- The season-ending shoulder injury to Jamal Adams has left the Seattle Seahawks a bit short-handed at safety. With Quandre Diggs missing practices this week due to a calf injury as well, it seemed as though Seattle could be in a really bind in the back-end of their defense this weekend.
However, head coach Pete Carroll said rather definitively on Friday that Diggs will play against the Houston Texans this Sunday.
“He’s going,” Carroll said. “He feels fine. He missed time so that we could rest him to make sure, but he’s determined to play, so I’m not even thinking about it.”
Diggs was a limited participant in Friday's practice.
Adams had surgery this week to repair a torn left labrum in his shoulder. It's the second straight year Adams has suffered the injury and needed surgery to address it. He played with the shoulder injury for a sizable chunk of last season, though was significantly impacted by the lack of movement he had because of the injury.
"The early indications are they really worked hard to make sure that this is going to be secure and all that and took some steps to do that," Carroll said.
"We got really good reports on what they what they did."
Adams was placed on injured reserve Friday afternoon with cornerback Gavin Heslop being promoted from the practice squad to add some depth to Seattle's secondary.
Heslop appeared in two games for Seattle earlier this season as a practice squad elevation. However, teams only get to do that twice before a player has to be added to the active roster.
Heslop isn't a safety, however. So with Adams out and Diggs listed as questionable, the exact state of the safety spot had been somewhat questionable for Seattle this week.
Ugo Amadi has safety experience and would likely be the backup free safety to Diggs, if necessary. Amadi is the team's nickel cornerback currently and Heslop's promotion helps Seattle cover that role.
Ryan Neal is starting at strong safety in place of Adams, However, Seattle had no other player listed as a safety on their active roster or practice squad during the week.
Nigel Warrior, listed as a cornerback on the roster, was a safety in college at the University of Tennessee and played in 49 games for the Volunteers with 38 starts at the position. Seattle claimed Warrior off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens at the start of the season but he has yet to appear in a game for the Seahawks. Warrior spent the first half of the season on the injured reserve list after joining the team.
Diggs, Neal, Amadi and Warrior will likely be Seattle's safety depth chart heading into the Texans' matchup this weekend.
In addition to Adams being out, the Seahawks ruled out tackle Brandon Shell (shoulder), backup guard/center Kyle Fuller (calf) and running back Travis Homer (calf/hamstring).
Shell has been nursing a bad shoulder for several weeks and the hope is that the week of rest will allow him to bounce back for the rest of the season.
"He's been hanging in there with a shoulder that's just been a bother to him, and we've just got to give him a break this week and see if we can get him stronger for the finish of the season," Carroll said.
Rookies Jake Curhan and Stone Forsythe would be the options to replace Shell at the position against Houston this week. Curhan played left guard in place of Fuller last week. Fuller was starting in place of Damien Lewis, who is set to return to the lineup this week after missing two games with a hyper-extended elbow.
Running back Adrian Peterson, who made his Seahawks debut last week and scored a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers, will not be called up to play against the Texans. He injured his back in the game and did not practice this week.
"He had a lower back issue that came up, and he felt it a little bit coming into Wednesday, and then on Wednesday he couldn't go," Carroll said. "We're going to hold him out. We're got to take care of him and look after him."
Peterson remains on the team's practice squad and can be called up one more time for game action before needing to join the active roster.
With Alex Collins, Rashaad Penny and DeeJay Dallas all ready to play, Peterson's presence wasn't necessary this weekend anyway.
Injury Report:
Photo: Curtis Crabtree
Photo: Curtis Crabtree
Photo Credit: SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 05: Quandre Diggs #6 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with fans after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 30-23 at Lumen Field on December 05, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)