Seahawks Inactives vs. Cardinals: Seven Players Ruled Out Due to Injury

The Seattle Seahawks will play without quarterback Sam Darnold, left tackle Charles Cross, and left guard Quenton Nelson on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. Seven Seahawks players are inactive for the Week 9 matchup at Lumen Field, reducing the team's offensive line and depth.

The Seahawks’ injury report has grown substantially as the season progresses, according to a report from SI.com. This latest wave of absences leaves the Seattle roster thin in several critical positions heading into the NFC West rivalry game.

Head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed that Quenton Nelson is considered week-to-week. The offensive guard will undergo what Macdonald called a “minor procedure” on his knee, according to Seahawks.com.

Seahawks In 10 | Seahawks vs. Cardinals: Week 9

Who is out for Seattle?

The Seahawks’ inactive list features seven players ruled out due to injury. The list includes quarterback Sam Darnold, who is dealing with quad and rib injuries, and left tackle Charles Cross, who is sidelined with a high ankle sprain. SI.com reports that both Cross and Nelson are expected to be out for multiple weeks.

Other players ruled inactive for Seattle include:

Seahawks Inactives vs. Cardinals: Seven Players Ruled Out Due to Injury — Photo: si.com

Left guard Quenton Nelson (knee)
Outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (ankle)
Defensive tackle Leonard Williams (stinger)
Receiver Rashid Shaheed (knee)
Nose tackle Brandon Pili (back)

The loss of Leonard Williams shifts defensive responsibility onto Byron Murphy II, who SI.com says will be pressured to lead the defensive line. To address the depth issues caused by these absences, the Seahawks signed rookie nose tackle Deven Eastern from the practice squad.

They also elevated tackle Bobby Hart and receiver Montorie Foster Jr. from the practice squad to cover the gaps left by Cross and Shaheed, as reported by Seahawks.com.

With Nelson sidelined, the lineup will shift. Grey Zabel will return to the left guard position, while Anthony Bradford is set to return to the starting lineup at right guard, according to Seahawks.com.

Seattle Seahawks missing key players to injury vs Cardinals | FOX 13 Seattle

The quarterback situation also sees a change. Because Darnold is inactive, Drew Lock is expected to start. However, SI.com notes that Lock has been managing a right elbow injury for the last two weeks and was limited during practice.

How are the Cardinals affected?

The Arizona Cardinals are also facing personnel shortages for Sunday's contest. The most notable absence for Arizona is running back Bam Knight, who is inactive due to a concussion. Knight had recently seen increased usage, recording 15 carries for 80 yards against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6, according to SI.com.

Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks

Knight’s absence is expected to move Tyler Allgeier into the lead running back role for the Cardinals. Other Arizona inactives include left tackle Jayden Williams (knee), right guard Jon Gaines II (ankle), and cornerback Starling Thomas. Albert Reese IV is also listed as inactive, according to SI.com.

While the Cardinals are missing key starters, some players previously listed as questionable will be available. Isaiah Adams (ankle), Max Melton (knee), and Walter Nolen III (ankle) are all active for the game, according to Seahawks.com.

Seahawks Rule Out 7 Player vs Cardinals – inc Quenton Nelson, Leonard Williams | Seattle Sports

The following table summarizes the primary inactive players for both teams:

Team	Player	Position	Injury/Reason
Seattle Seahawks	Sam Darnold	QB	Quadricep/Ribs
Seattle Seahawks	Charles Cross	LT	Ankle
Seattle Seahawks	Quenton Nelson	LG	Knee
Seattle Seahawks	Leonard Williams	DT	Stinger
Seattle Seahawks	Uchenna Nwosu	LB	Ankle
Arizona Cardinals	Bam Knight	RB	Concussion
Arizona Cardinals	Jayden Williams	LT	Knee
Arizona Cardinals	Jon Gaines II	RG	Ankle