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Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks place starting safety Tedric Thompson on injured reserve

Seattle Seahawks free safety Tedric Thompson (33) reacts with teammates after he intercepted a pass intended for Rams tight end Gerald Everett during the second half Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019, in Seattle. (Elaine Thompson / AP)
By Adam Jude Seattle Times

RENTON, Wash. – The Seattle Seahawks placed starting free safety Tedric Thompson on injured reserve Wednesday, marking the fourth significant injury at the position this month.

Thompson has a shoulder injury, the team announced in a news release.

The move is an unexpected one. There had been no previous mention of Thompson having a shoulder injury on any practice report this season.

Thompson is scheduled to have surgery on a torn labrum, coach Pete Carroll said. It’s an injury Thompson has played through for “quite some time,” Carroll said, and then aggravated in Sunday’s victory at Atlanta.

In six games this season, all starts, Thompson had 19 tackles, and he made diving interceptions in wins over the Rams and Browns. But he also allowed two big pass plays over his head, against the Bengals and Ravens, which frustrated coach Pete Carroll.

“That’s just distasteful,” Carroll said earlier this month.

The news about Thompson follows injuries to safeties Bradley McDougald (back), Lano Hill (elbow) and Quandre Diggs (hamstring) earlier this month.

McDougald did not play in the Seahawks’ Week 7 loss to Baltimore because of back spasms, snapping his streak of 31 consecutive starts for Seattle. In his place, the Seahawks turned to rookie Marquise Blair for his first career start.

McDougald was available only in an emergency situation for Sunday’s game at Atlanta, Carroll said, and McDougald was needed for 11 snaps in the second half when Blair was dealing with what Carroll said were cramps.

Hill has missed the last two games with an elbow injury and will be out again this week, Carroll said.

Diggs, acquired in a trade with Detroit last week, did not play against Atlanta and is questionable this week, Carroll said.

Also Wednesday, the Seahawks announced they designated tight end Ed Dickson for return from injured reserve. Dickson had knee surgery in August.

To take Thompson’s roster spot, the Seahawks signed free agent Dekoda Watson, a 31-year-old defensive end who Carroll hopes can boost a lethargic pass rush.

Watson appeared in four games for San Francisco last year, posting two sacks.