RENTON - C.J. Prosise's latest injury will keep him out for at least the remainder of the regular season.
The team placed Prosise on injured reserve Tuesday and promoted fellow running back Mike Davis from the practice squad. The Seahawks also announced their signing of Byron Maxwell, a former Seattle starter whose return to the team adds cornerback depth in the wake of Richard Sherman's season-ending Achilles injury. Sherman was placed on IR as well.
Prosise suffered a high-ankle sprain Thursday night against the Arizona Cardinals. Coach Pete Carroll said the injury comes with a six-week timeframe, but Prosise will have to spend at least eight weeks on IR, which means he won't be eligible to return until the postseason. Carroll said Prosise will be racing with rookie running back Chris Carson to see who can come off IR first. Carson, who injured his ankle in Week 4, is eligible to return in Week 13.
"C.J. is a marvelous player and he just has not been able to stay healthy," Carroll said, "so we're going to give him the time to get well and heal it up."
Prosise has been Seattle's third-down back when healthy. J.D. McKissic will likely take over that role full-time while Eddie Lacy, Thomas Rawls and now Davis compete for early-down work.
Carroll said strong safety Kam Chancellor is seeing doctors this week after suffering a neck stinger against Arizona, which sidelined him for the end of the game. Carroll said the team likely won't about Chancellor's status for a few days.
If Chancellor is sidelined, Bradley McDougald would likely start in his absence Monday night against the Atlanta Falcons. McDougald started the last two games at free safety, but Earl Thomas is expected back from a hamstring injury this week, Carroll said.
Carroll declined to discuss the statues of any other injured players, noting that the team was not required to release an injury report on Tuesday ahead of its Monday night game. In addition to Chancellor, Sherman and Prosise, left tackle Duane Brown (ankle), defensive tackle Jarran Reed (hamstring), defensive end Frank Clark (thigh) and linebacker Michael Wilhoite (calf) were all unable to finish the Arizona game because of injuries.
Prosise's high-ankle sprain is the latest in a long list of injuries for the 2016 third-round pick.
He missed time over his first offseason with hip-flexor and hamstring injuries, then was limited to six games as a rookie because of a broken wrist and a season-ending scapula fracture. A groin injury slowed Prosise over the summer, and before Thursday, he had missed most of the last five games because of a high-ankle sprain.
That's why Carroll was incredulous while announcing after Seattle's win over Arizona that Prosise had suffered a sprain in his other ankle, calling it "unbelievable."
"I can't even fathom how that happened to this poor kid," Carroll said Thursday. "He's trying to play football and he just can't stay out there."
Prosise has missed 14 of a possible 25 regular-season games for Seattle, which counts his two snaps in Week 7 against the New York Giants as a game played.
Davis, 24, was a fourth-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2015 and gained 108 yards on 54 carries (2.0 average) with one touchdown over two seasons with the team. The Seahawks claimed him off waivers over the offseason.
His impressive preseason with the Seahawks included 106 rushing yards on 24 carries plus a receiving touchdown, but it wasn't enough to earn a spot roster spot in their crowded backfield.
That backfield has now been hit hard by injuries. Carson, who started the first four games, is on IR after suffering an ankle injury that required surgery. Lacy missed the Arizona game with an injured groin that he'd suffered the week prior.