SEATTLE -- Dion Jordan's comeback bid is about to become a reality.
The Seattle Seahawks will activate Jordan ahead of Thursday night's game against the Arizona Cardinals, coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday. It will mark the defensive end's first game since 2014.
"He's going to play," Carroll said. "We're going to play him. We're anxious to see him. He's practiced very well, he's in great shape so we'll see how he does and look forward to not overloading him play wise but just get him some play time and start building him back into it and see where he fits."
Jordan will take the roster spot of offensive tackle Rees Odhiambo, who will be placed on injured reserve with dislocated fingers that will require surgery, Carroll said.
The Seahawks also have ruled out Eddie Lacy because of the groin injury he suffered last week, which means Thomas Rawls will start at tailback against Arizona. Free safety Earl Thomas is doubtful due a hamstring injury that also sidelined him last week, so Bradley McDougald will likely make his second straight start. Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (oblique) is questionable.
Jordan's agent, Doug Hendrickson, congratulated his client on Twitter.
So proud of you @dionj95 first game thurs in 3 years. Your determination and fight to get back has been amazing! You have inspired ppl! Wow!
— Doug Hendrickson (@DHendrickson41) November 8, 2017
Jordan, the third overall pick in 2013, became one of the bigger draft disappointments in recent years when his career never got on track with the Miami Dolphins. He started only one of 26 games during his first two seasons while recording three sacks. Then he was suspended for the 2015 season after another violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy. He had previously been suspended twice in 2014, first for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances and then for a violation of the substance abuse policy.
The Dolphins released Jordan after he missed the 2016 season with a knee injury. He signed a low-risk, one-year deal with the Seahawks in April but then needed another knee surgery. He has been on the non-football injury list and began practicing with the Seahawks two weeks ago.
"We were real excited about it to start, then he had kind of some setbacks that he had to deal with and he did," Carroll said of Jordan. "He did extraordinary work to make it back through all of the stages of it. As he has returned to the action the last couple of weeks, it's been exciting to see him back out there. He's still rusty, and there's no way that he can't be. When he plays for the first time, it will be like his first preseason game in two years. But he's well-equipped. He's a big, strong, fast kid and dying to play."
Jordan has bulked up to 280 pounds after being listed around 250 earlier in his career. He played some outside linebacker in Miami, but the Seahawks view him as a defensive end. They have a need for depth there after Marcus Smith, part of the Seahawks' rotation at defensive end, suffered a concussion last week that will sideline him for Thursday night's game, if not longer.
"A lot of guys could lose interest," Carroll said of Jordan. "He didn't. He kept battling to get back. That's a great sign of what he's put into it. So we see a real competitive, great dude that wants to get back and prove it. All of that is impressive."