Tyler Lockett to injured reserve, WR Kasen Williams signed from practice squad
With Tyler Lockett’s season now officially over, Kasen Williams is now officially back with the Seahawks.
All the way back -- again -- from the same injury Lockett just got.
Seattle placed Lockett on injured reserve Tuesday, three days after he got a compound fracture in his tibia and fibula of his right leg while catching a pass during the team’s loss to Arizona. He had surgery into Sunday morning and was still in the hospital into Monday evening.
The Seahawks filled the second-year star’s spot on the active roster with a recently familiar face. Williams was on the active roster for the last part of the 2015 season and two playoffs games in his NFL debut as an undrafted rookie from the University of Washington. He overcame a broken fibula he got during at UW game in October 2013, plus a ligament and bone displacement in his foot. He needed surgeries to set the leg and insert pins in his foot. His junior season at UW was ruined, so was much of his senior year and, thus, his shot of an NFL team drafting him.
Seattle released Williams Sept. 3 after his injury-filled preseason -- he couldn’t get past a strained hamstring -- then signed the former multi-sport star at Skyline High School in Sammamish to its practice squad Sept. 20.
The 24-year-old Williams played in two regular-season games last season and made one catch. He learned to do what he didn’t do much of at UW: play special teams.
He may be doing that again Sunday at San Francisco in this regular season’s finale.
Coach Pete Carroll said Monday Lockett’s jobs as a kickoff and punt returner, for which he made the Pro Bowl as a rookie last season, would go to wide receiver Paul Richardson and perhaps newly signed J.D. McKissic.
Richardson returned kicks last weekend against the Cardinals after Lockett went out in the first half. But it’s not inconceivable Williams might be asked to go back deep to secure possession of a punt with a fair catch or two. Or, Williams could return some other roles on kick and kick-coverage units he had last year and this past preseason, when he is healthy.
Carroll said the team expects Lockett to be back in time for next summer’s training camp.
This story was originally published December 27, 2016 at 5:30 PM with the headline "Tyler Lockett to injured reserve, WR Kasen Williams signed from practice squad."