The Seahawks are not expected to have outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu this week, but he returned to practice this week after missing the last six games with a hamstring injury that placed him on injured reserve .

“It’s great to see him there,” Macdonald said. “He’s in good spirits. I mean, put yourself in his shoes in the things that he’s been through and that he’s persevered through, so it’s great to have him there. He looks Well, he’s on schedule.”

When asked what’s next for Nwosu, Macdonald said: “There’s a progression. How long it takes is how long it takes, but he feels good, he has the looks good and he does everything we ask of him. We’re excited for him.”

Macdonald also announced that rookie Sataoa Laumea would start at right guard in place of the injured Anthony Bradford after he and compatriot Christian Haynes battled for that spot in training this week. A sixth-round pick out of Utah, Laumea will not only make his first start on Sunday, but it will also be his first active game day game.

“Those two guys deserve a lot of credit,” Macdonald said. “They’ve been practicing this week. The plan is we’re going to put Sataoa at guard. He’s just done a tremendous job. These guys have been competing all the way, and Christian, if and when he gets the chance. opportunity, he had a great week as well, so we’re excited about these guys and we have all the confidence in the world in them, but Sataoa is going to start the game.

“He earned it. Play-in, play-out, and off we go. It’s something we’re confident in. We obviously want continuity on our offensive line, but that’s not the end, and Christian did a huge job too, so I want to be very clear that this is not something that Christian lost or anything like that, this is something that Taoa earned this opportunity. .

When asked if there might be a rotation at guard, something the Seahawks did earlier this season with Bradford and Haynes, Macdonald said: “We’ll see in the game, kind of how the match takes place. We have a plan, but we’re going to let this play out the way we want to do it. »

Speaking earlier this week about the possibility of competing for a star position, Laumea said: “I feel like I’ve grown a lot. I feel like there’s a lot of great players in our O-line room that I’m learning with, so I feel like I’ve made great progress. I feel like it’s mostly mental too, the game is a lot faster, so it has to be. resume quickly.