Seahawks first-round pick set to miss season opener through injury
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll tries to look on the bright side at all times, but there's no doubt the injury suffered by rookie wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was a huge downer for Seattle. Smith-Njigba, the 20th overall pick in the draft, underwent surgery on Tuesday after suffering a wrist injury int he Seahawks' preseason […]
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll tries to look on the bright side at all times, but there's no doubt the injury suffered by rookie wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was a huge downer for Seattle.
Smith-Njigba, the 20th overall pick in the draft, underwent surgery on Tuesday after suffering a wrist injury int he Seahawks' preseason win over the Cowboys.
Carroll confirmed to reporters that Smith-Njigba is looking at a three to four-week absence.
“He’s going to get surgery by the hand specialist,” Carroll said. “Kind of a slight fracture that we just want to make sure that we do the right thing to ensure he gets back as soon as possible and as safe as possible. So, we’re going to be optimistic about it. Three or four weeks, and we’ll see what happens.”
For as much as Carroll wants to be optimistic, a three to four-week timeline means Smith-Njigba will likely miss the season opener against the Rams on Sept. 10.
The Seahawks will be favored for that game regardless of Smith-Njigba's availability. A four-week recovery time would see him miss what is likely to be a more challenging encounter on the road against the Lions.
Last season, Seattle defeated the Lions 48-45 at Ford Field. While they will want to avoid a similarly porous defensive performance this time around, not having Smith-Njigba would rob the Seahawks of potentially crucial firepower in a game with a team with whom they could be vying for playoff positioning by the end of the season.
Smith-Njigba's injury is not a serious one that figures to greatly impact their odds of contending in the NFC but, as much as Carroll wants to stay upbeat, it is a setback that may hinder their hopes of getting off to a fast start.
Seahawks first-round pick Jaxon Smith-Njigba could miss start of regular season
Both Seattle’s first-round picks are now on the shelf.
Featured Image Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
