The Seahawks have a couple of question marks on their defense heading into their Week One visit to Carolina.
Coach Pete Carroll said Friday that defensive end Cliff Avril and cornerback Brandon Browner will both be game-time decisions on Sunday. Both players have been dealing with hamstring injuries and have been limited in practice over the course of the week as a result.
Avril was able to work on Thursday, but has been bothered by various aches and pains since signing with the Seahawks as a free agent and didn’t play at all in the preseason. He’s one of several defensive linemen that have been battling injuries, although Carroll said Friday that defensive tackles Brandon Mebane and Tony McDaniel are both expected to be in the lineup.
Browner hurt his hamstring last week and the injury has kept him off the field for part of this week. Walter Thurmond and Byron Maxwell would both be possible replacements across from Richard Sherman in the starting lineup.