Malik McDowell, the top pick of the Seattle Seahawks 2017 draft class, is not expected to play this season.
Head coach Pete Carroll said Monday that McDowell is not progressing enough from injuries sustained in an ATV accident in July to be able to take the field this season with Seattle.
“I don’t think that’s happening,” Carroll said. “It doesn’t seem like it. There’s not any progress being made in that direction.”
McDowell sustained a serious concussion, facial injuries and more in the accident prior to the start of training camp in July. Seattle selected McDowell with the 35th overall selection in the draft, the first of 11 selections the team made in May.
The defensive tackle out of Michigan State has spent the entire season on the non-football injury list following the accident. He was cleared to begin working out again in October but has not been able to make the progress necessary to be a possible option this season. It’s still uncertain whether the injuries will keep McDowell from ever suiting up for Seattle.
“I don’t know,” Carroll said when asked of McDowell’s long-term outlook. “I don’t have any updates for you.”
If McDowell remains on the non-football injury list all season, he won’t accrue a season of service time. If he’s able to play through his four-year contract, he would become a restricted free agent instead of an unrestricted free agent at the end of the deal due to the lost season, pending possible arbitration.