Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald has stated that it remains uncertain how long edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu and cornerback Artie Burns will be sidelined due to injuries sustained during Saturday’s game. Despite the Seahawks’ 37-33 win over the Cleveland Browns, both key players were injured.
Nwosu, starting outside linebacker, was injured in the first quarter when Browns guard Wyatt Teller’s chop block collided with Nwosu’s knee while running back Jerome Ford hit him in the shoulder. Nwosu walked off but was later seen with ice on his knee and went to the locker room.
Artie Burns, the slot cornerback, was also hurt after the Seahawks’ first defensive drive. He was carted off the field due to a foot/ankle issue, which Macdonald confirmed postgame.
Macdonald mentioned that the team does not yet have detailed information about the extent of their injuries but aims to assess their severity before the final roster cuts on Tuesday. He noted that more information on Nwosu’s condition might be available in the coming days and declined to comment further on the legality of the block by Teller.
If either player is placed on injured reserve before the 53-man roster is finalized, they will miss the entire season. However, the Seahawks may choose to keep both on the roster initially and decide on IR placements after the cuts, which would then require them to miss at least four games.
Nwosu had previously missed the rest of the 2023 season due to a torn pectoral muscle, and Burns had recently gained confidence from the coaching staff following the trade of veteran cornerback Mike Jackson. Both players are expected to be crucial defensive assets for Seattle in 2024 when healthy.