Seahawks injury update: Max Unger will try to play, Jeremy Lane ready to go

Seahawks center Max Unger will look to return to action this weekend against the Niners after missing the last three games to an ankle and knee injury. "He's going for it," said Pete Carroll of Unger at his presser on Monday. "He's had some pretty good workouts and all. We don't know what that means until he gets out there and starts doing it. But he's going to take it as far as he can and he's going to try and see if he can get ready this week."

The return of Unger would be a huge boost to the run game and in pass protection, plus just provide that veteran presence on the line when Seattle faces off against a very good Niners' front.

On the defensive side of the ball, cornerback Tharold Simon should be fine, said Carroll, after he dislocated his finger in Sunday's win over the Eagles. Defensive end Demarcus Dobbs' has a "legit" ankle injury though, Carroll noted, and that may mean he'll head to the injured reserve. "Legit" seems to be Carrollspeak for season ending, and the Seahawks will look to replace Dobbs, who is a core special teams contributor and rotational defensive player. Will Tukuafu may be asked to fill in some, in addition to his normal role at fullback. "We don't have any problem putting him in there," said Carroll on Tukuafu, who was actually signed by the Seahawks out of Oregon as a UDFA defensive lineman. "It's hard getting him enough time to prepare for it, but that's the challenge right now."

As for tight end Cooper Helfet, who missed last week's game with an ankle injury?

"He's going to go for it this week, we'll see how he goes," Carroll said. "Again, like Max [Unger], we'll see what happens on Wednesday and when he comes back on Thursday and just kind of start gauging from there. Both those guys are really anxious to get back. Coop's probably a little more solidly ahead of Max, I would think. His injury was a little different, so he has probably the best chance of the two."

Meanwhile, cornerback Jeremy Lane will return to action on Sunday after sitting out last week's game with a glute injury. The nickel corner and special teams ace was ready to go last week but the Hawks held him out because he hadn't gotten any reps in practice. He should practice all week.

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