RENTON — Just in time for the playoffs, Marshawn Lynch is back to practicing with the Seattle Seahawks.
Lynch was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, his first on-field work with the Seahawks since undergoing abdominal surgery in late November and missing the final seven games of the regular season.
Lynch went through walkthrough on Wednesday morning and then took part in the afternoon practice, even taking a candy cane with him out to the start of his first practice since prior to Seattle’s Week 9 game against Arizona.
“It’ll just be the process of seeing him recover from the day’s work and see how he goes,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.
Lynch rejoined the Seahawks on Monday after spending recent weeks working out with his personal trainers in the Bay Area. Lynch underwent surgery on Nov. 25 for an injury related to a sports hernia. Seattle leaned on Thomas Rawls to fill in with Lynch out, but Rawls broke an ankle in Week 14. Christine Michael and Bryce Brown have carried the running game the last three weeks of the regular season.
Speaking after practice, both offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell and offensive line coach Tom Cable said they were pleased with how Lynch looked after have not practiced for nearly two months.
“He’s been fantastic,” Cable said. “He’s adapted very well. I think he’s done a great job of recognizing where this team is at and their vibe, and he’s come right in and went to work and it’s been really good.”
The expectation is if Lynch can make it through the week, he will be the presumptive starter for Sunday’s NFC wild-card game at Minnesota.
“He’s a playmaker and he’s been around long enough, he’s been in this system long enough he’ll be fine jumping back in there,” teammate Fred Jackson said. “Doing whatever play is called, he won’t have a hard time picking it up.”
Carroll also said strong safety Kam Chancellor (pelvis/tailbone), guard J.R. Sweezy (concussion), tackle Russell Okung (calf) and tight end Luke Willson (concussion) are all on track to play this week after missing last week’s game with injuries. Chancellor was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, while Sweezy, Okung and Willson were all limited.
Jeremy Lane, who left last Sunday’s game against Arizona with an side injury, was also limited.