RENTON, Wash -- Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson is considered week-to-week after an MRI confirmed a midfoot sprain, coach Pete Carroll said Monday.
Carson suffered the injury in the first half of Sunday night's 37-34 overtime loss at the Arizona Cardinals and did not return to the game.
"There's something there that we could see," Carroll said of Carson's MRI. "It's just week-to-week, so we'll see what happens. We don't know. He was real determined to say, 'I can go with it,' but we won't know until the end of the week, for sure."
That's just the start of the injuries the Seahawks (5-1) are dealing with in a suddenly banged-up backfield.
Veteran Carlos Hyde and rookie fourth-round pick DeeJay Dallas were their only available tailbacks by the end of Sunday night's game, after Carson and Travis Homer went down hurt. But Carroll is unsure of Hyde's status for this week due to tightness in his hamstring. The coach said Homer has a knee bruise and not an injury, adding, "So that's something he has a chance to recover from."
The Seahawks have no other tailbacks on their active roster or practice squad. Rashaad Penny, their 2018 first-round pick, is still on the physically unable to perform list as he works his way back from a knee injury. Carroll said Penny is "getting close" to practicing, but the coach didn't give the impression Penny would begin doing so this week.
It's a potentially problematic situation for the Seahawks given how COVID-19 protocols make it difficult for teams to adjust to injuries on the fly. Players must go through several days of testing before they're allowed to enter an NFL facility. That will make it impossible for the Seahawks to sign a free agent in time to reinforce their backfield for this week's home game against the San Francisco 49ers (4-3), unless that running back had already started or completed his testing.
The Seahawks are hoping to have All-Pro strong safety Jamal Adams back this week, but Carroll said it isn't clear whether he'll be ready to practice by Wednesday. Adams has missed the past three games with a groin injury. Seattle had its bye during that span.
"I talked to him on Saturday before we left, and his workouts are going great and all that," Carroll said of Adams. "He really wants to get back, but he's going to have to show it that he's capable of doing all the stuff that we need him to do football-wise. Because he's so close to being back, I think this will carry into late in the week and we'll see how it works out. But I can't tell you conclusively right now."
Carroll expects defensive end Rasheem Green (neck) to practice this week with the hope of playing next week. He has been on injured reserve, as has wide receiver Phillip Dorsett. Carroll said Dorsett is running at 90 percent capacity but isn't sure if Dorsett will practice this week.
Cornerback Shaquill Griffin is also dealing with a nagging hamstring injury in addition to the concussion he suffered against Arizona, Carroll said.
The 2,875 yards Seattle's defense has allowed this season are the most through six games in NFL history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.