Seahawks' Defensive Line Takes Hit, Loses Mike Morris For Season

Dishing a major hit to the team's defensive line depth only three weeks into the regular season, Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll announced promising rookie defensive tackle Mike Morris will need to undergo surgery for a troublesome surgery and won't be back this season.

Morris, a fifth-round pick out of Michigan, missed Seattle's final two preseason games and the last two weeks of training camp nursing an old shoulder injury dating back from his college days. After playing in the regular season opener and contributing three tackles in his NFL debut, Carroll said the injury now was "aggravated to the point" where surgery was the best option to fix him up long-term.

"It’s really unfortunate," Carroll said prior to Wednesday's practice. "Mike [Morris] had done such a good job with us, had made such a good impression on us and we had a whole role mapping out for him to fit in. We just have to put it on hold. He’s sick about it, we’re all sick about it, but that’s what happens sometimes. We have to get him right and fix him up. This is a surgery that takes months to recover from. He will recover, he’ll be fine, but it just takes a while.”

In the aftermath of the news, Locked On Seahawks hosts Corbin Smith and Rob Rang discuss how Morris' injury impacts an already thin Seattle interior defensive line, what the team will be missing with him sidelined for the remainder of the season, and who will be asked to step up in his absence.

Smith and Rang also examine the team's decision to sign undrafted rookie tight end Brady Russell from Philadelphia's practice squad and break down six key matchups to watch as the Seahawks host the Panthers at Lumen Field in Sunday's Week 3 contest, including a compelling battle pitting Carolina's standout run game against linebackers Bobby Wagner and Jordyn Brooks.

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Beat reporter Corbin Smith and NFL Draft guru Rob Rang provide comprehensive analysis and commentary on the Seattle Seahawks with the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast. A former player, high school coach, and standup comedian, Smith shares his wealth of football knowledge and insight on the pulse of the team with a splash of humor, while Rang has thrived as an NFL draft analyst for nearly two decades and has had his work featured on FOX, CBS, and many other outlets.

Follow Corbin Smith on Twitter here, where he'll be sharing the latest news about the Seattle Seahawks and talking with fans.