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RENTON, Wash. -- The Seattle Seahawks were hopeful injured running back Chris Carson would return to their backfield before the end of the regular season, but that's now unlikely. Coach Pete Carroll said Friday that Carson suffered "a little bit of a setback" in his recovery from the ankle and leg injuries that have kept him out since Week 5.  Carson, a rookie seventh-round pick who began the season as Seattle's starter before he was hurt, has been eligible to return after spending the requisite eight weeks on injured reserve. Carroll said Monday that Carson had a chance to resume practicing sometime over the next couple of weeks, but even that time frame would have made it difficult for Carson to play before the end of the regular season.
Seattle has three regular-season games remaining after Sunday's game at the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the team has not tended to bring back injured players until they've practiced for at least two weeks. Carson could, in theory, return for the playoffs if Seattle qualifies. The Seahawks (8-4) currently hold the NFC's fifth seed. Carroll said it was "a little bit of an ankle turn" that caused the setback. He said the team will know more about Carson's status by around the middle of next week. "Just caught it a little bit," he said of Carson's ankle. "Just got to make sure we know what that means as he bounces back from it. We were looking to try to find a time where we could put him back on the practice field and we were [thinking] next week or the week after that. We were looking with real optimism, but I don't know if that's going to happen after the little setback. We'll have to see when we get through the weekend." Seattle's backfield has been unsettled since Carson was injured in Week 4, but Mike Davis appears to have grabbed hold of the starting job over Eddie Lacy, J.D. McKissic and Thomas Rawls. Davis produced 101 yards on 20 touches Sunday night against the Philadelphia Eagles in what was his second start in three games. He started in his Seahawks debut in Week 11 against the Atlanta Falcons, missed the next game at the San Francisco 49ers with a groin injury then resumed the lead role against the Eagles. Seattle has only one injury question mark heading into Sunday. Defensive end Dion Jordan is listed as questionable with the neck injury that has sidelined him for the past two games. He was listed as a limited participant in all three. Carroll said he'll be a game-time decision. The team ruled out rookie defensive tackle Nazair Jones, so he'll miss his second straight game with a sprained ankle. Also out is right guard Oday Aboushi, who will miss the rest of the season. Carroll told Seattle's KIRO Radio 97.3 FM that Aboushi needs surgery on the shoulder he injured in the Atlanta game in Week 11. Rookie Ethan Pocic has been starting at right guard since Aboushi went down. Pocic has been dealing with an ankle injury this week, but Carroll said he's fine. Strong safety Kam Chancellor remains on Seattle's roster even though Carroll confirmed two weeks ago that he'll miss the rest of the season with his neck injury. That is likely due to Seattle having hardly any remaining salary cap space. Chancellor's contract counts against the cap whether he's on the roster or on IR. The Seahawks don't have the cap room to pay a replacement, nor do they really need the roster spot at the moment.
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