Seahawks Friday injury report: Free safety Earl Thomas listed as questionable but will play Sunday against the Eagles

Free safety Earl Thomas is one of five Seahawks listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles on the team’s official injury report released Friday afternoon.

But consider Thomas as basically a sure thing to play and start in the showdown against the 10-1 Eagles as coach Pete Carroll said after Friday’s practice that Thomas is fine.

“He had something we just tended to yesterday, a sore foot,” Carroll said. “And that was it. Not a big deal.”

Thomas showed up on the injury report this week for the first time on Thursday, listed as not participating due to a heel injury.

In fact, Carrol indicated that all five of the players listed as questionable will play against the Eagles — along with Thomas, also listed as questionable are TE Jimmy Graham (ankle), OL Duane Brown (ankle), LB Bobby Wagner (hamstring) and LB D.J. Alexander (shoulder). All but Alexander were full participants in Friday’s practice with Alexander listed as limited.

But that’s in keeping with how the team has done it most of the season — last week, the Seahawks listed nine players as questionable by kickoff against the 49ers and seven played. And it’s worth noting that with the changes in how the NFL does its injury reports — eliminating the probable designation last year — that questionable is the closet thing there is to being declared 100 percent. So whereas questionable used to really mean questionable it now is a little more often simply probable.

However, it appears five players will miss the game due to injury. Seattle declared three as out on Friday — strong safety Kam Chancellor, linebacker/special teamer Josh Forrest (foot) and offensive lineman Oday Aboushi.

Two others are listed as doubtful — defensive linemen Dion Jordan (neck) and Nazair Jones (ankle).

Carroll indicated neither of the doubtful players would make it back — neither took part in Friday’s practice.

Jones, Carroll said, “turned his ankle” in practice on Thursday. “Not sure how that’s going to respond. He just stepped on a guy’s foot and we’ll see what happens. Can’t tell you that.”

Jordan also sat out last week’s game after being listed as questionable and now is doubtful with Carroll saying “he’s doubtful going in and I don’t think anything could change to elevate him from that. He’s just, it’s going to take him another week I think.”

Seattle earlier in the week added defensive tackle Rodney Coe to the roster in place of Garrison Smith and that two other DLs may not play only enhances the idea that Coe could see significant action in what would be his first game with the Seahawks  and in the NFL.

Three players who entered the week with injury concerns — TE Luke Willson (concussion), CB Shaq Griffin (concussion) and RB Mike Davis (groin) — all had good weeks of practice and will play against the Eagles.

“Those guys are all in good shape and ready to go,” Carroll said.

In fact, Carroll said Griffin will return to the starting lineup though he did not say where. Griffin was replaced by Byron Maxwell last week at right cornerback with Jeremy Lane at left corner but the team could switch things up and pair Griffin with Maxwell with Lane possibly going back to serving as the main nickelback, a spot that has been filled of late by Justin Coleman. Regardless, the good news for Seattle is that it will have what is its full complement of corners now with Richard Sherman out for the year after Griffin sat out last week and all but two plays the previous game against Atlanta with a concussion.

As for Davis, Carroll said he’ll be thrown back into the mix at tailback though Carroll did not say who would start. Davis was the starter against Atlanta before suffering a groin injury with Eddie Lacy getting the call against the 49ers. It would seem most likely one of those two would go against the Eagles but Carroll is being vague.

Wagner has now gone two straight weeks without practicing much — though he was able to work on Friday. But Carroll said that’s not a concern saying he thinks Wagner may, in fact, be a little fresher from not having to practice during the week.

“Sometimes after the 100s of tackles and plays that he’s made the break he gets on his legs is a benefit for him” Carroll said. “So not worried about it. He wasn’t rusty at all last week and he got his work today and I think he will probably be back to normal reps next week.”

As for Brown, the team’s starting left tackle, he was able to get a little work in this week — listed as a full participant on Friday — after not doing anything last week.

“He did considerably more this week than he’s done in the last couple of weeks so he’s really on it and ready go to,” Carroll said. “It was great to see him get some legit practice time with (left guard) Luke (Joeckel). It’s going to make a difference so we have an opportunity to improve our play up front and get better. We have been improving as we have been going here, particularly in pass protection stuff and hopefully we can keep making that move. It’s only natural that that should happen.”

Carroll also said cornerback DeShawn Shead had another positive week as he attempts to come off the Physically Unable to Perform list. Carroll indicated Shead could return to practice soon.

“He had a great week, in fact,” Carroll said. “He had a great week and looked really good. The question is when do we bring him back to practice now, he’s that close.”