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Brady Henderson, ESPN
RENTON, Wash. — A week removed from wrist surgery, Seattle Seahawks rookie wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is back at practice with the hope of playing in the team’s Sept. 10 season opener.
“He’s doing remarkably well,” coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday, after Smith-Njigba practiced for the second straight day. “I saw him respond to the injury at the outset, and then I saw him respond to when they told him he’s going to have to get operated on, and so I’m not surprised at the attitude that he’s brought post-surgery. He’s out here working, catching balls, catching punts, doing everything. He ain’t worried about it. It could have gone a number of different ways. It’s gone the way of the competitor. He’s not going to be denied. He wants to play football.”
Smith-Njigba, the 20th overall pick and the first receiver selected in April’s NFL draft, broke a bone in his left wrist during the team’s second preseason game Aug. 19. He traveled to Philadelphia last Tuesday for surgery and was back on the practice field seven days later.
During the portion of Tuesday’s practice open to the media, the former Ohio State star was seen catching passes in wet conditions without much issue — save for one bobble — with part of his left hand heavily wrapped. Media members were permitted to watch only the warmup period of Wednesday’s practice, during which Smith-Njigba wore a similar-looking wrap.
“I think it’s a great statement about his competitiveness and his mentality,” Carroll said. “He’s not going to be held out. He’s going for it. Really, you couldn’t ask for more. You couldn’t ask for a better approach, and then his discipline about coming out and working and getting everything done. He hasn’t even flinched. Awesome.”
Carroll was asked if he thinks Smith-Njigba will be ready for Seattle’s opener against the Los Angeles Rams.
“I’m hoping,” he said. “I don’t know. We’ll see what happens. He looks great right now.”
Smith-Njigba projects to be Seattle’s third receiver behind Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. Two of their other wideouts, Dareke Young (groin) and Cody Thompson (shoulder), are both sidelined by injuries. Carroll wouldn’t say Wednesday whether either player needs surgery, and he declined to comment on several other injury matters.
Carroll did say Wednesday that linebacker Devin Bush Jr. returned to practice after suffering a concussion in last weekend’s preseason finale. He also said rookie nose tackle Cameron Young has returned from his groin injury and that cornerback Devon Witherspoon is still rehabbing. Witherspoon, the fifth overall pick, hasn’t practiced since reinjuring his hamstring on Aug. 7. Carroll said last week that Witherspoon was on track to resume practicing this week.
Outside linebackers Darrell Taylor and Derick Hall and defensive end Mike Morris remain out as well, all with shoulder injuries.