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RENTON, Wash. -- Running back Thomas Rawls has an outside chance of getting work in next week's third preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys. Head coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday that Rawls continues to improve after getting into team drills for the first time earlier this week.
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"Thomas got to take some reps in practice," Carroll said. "He'll have a really solid week next week, if all goes well. We'll see what that means in terms of playing, but we're not going to rush it at all. But he looked good. That was great to see."
The Seahawks have preached a patient philosophy in the recovery process for both Rawls and tight end Jimmy Graham. Rawls only took part in individual work last week after being activated from the physically unable to perform list. He was then worked into team drills beginning Monday.
Rawls suffered a broken ankle with ligament damage in a December game against the Baltimore Ravens that required surgery. He said this week that he feels he's right on schedule to be ready for the start of the season.
"It's going great. It's going amazing. Get to come out here, run fast, make some good decisive cuts and just work on my game and be out here with the fellas and try to elevate them," Rawls said after practice on Tuesday.
"I'm still working on some things. I just want to get back out there, make sure I'm comfortable. I'm still fast and making quick, decisive decisions and everything like that. I look good out there and I feel great. I feel amazing."
Rawls wants to play and said he has been trying to lobby for more work in practice, but he has faith that the team will take the reins off when he's ready to go full speed.
"One thing I can say about the organization is I trust them," Rawls said. "So whenever I get out there, I know I'm going to be ready to be out there."
Carroll and general manager John Schneider said throughout the offseason that they anticipated both Rawls and Graham to be ready in time for the start of the regular season.
While Rawls is making solid strides, Carroll injected at least a sliver of doubt on Wednesday about whether Graham would be ready to start the year.
"Really, we are shooting for where is he at the start of the season and we will evaluate then how much longer it may take or he may be ready. We will know that then," Carroll said. "He feels good, he is confident that it's going along well. He's got some tests coming up going into next week that will give us some more information and we will just see how it is going.
"He is pleased and he is upbeat about it and confident and he's working very hard to make sure he takes full advantage of the rehab time as well as the football time, so we are making good progress."
Graham was activated off the physically unable to perform list last Wednesday and has been a limited participant in practice. His work has been restricted to individual drills during the past week.
Graham suffered a torn patellar tendon in his right knee in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers last November. After surgery, he had to have his leg immobilized for 11-12 weeks before being able to start moving again.
Carroll said they are pleased with Graham's progress and that he is close to be able to take part in team drills during practice.
"We have three really big weeks coming up here, so we will see how it goes," Carroll said. "We will be continuing the progression more with action around him and all that stuff. He is doing fine running routes and catching balls. He is doing fine doing all that stuff. So we are just doing a really nice job I think of staging him, so we will see how it goes."
