Five front-line Seahawks defenders inactive at Detroit. Kenneth Walker a go to start

Mike Macdonald’s schemes were getting a massive test in Detroit.

Because the new coach was trying to call plays to stop the Lions Monday night while missing a bulk of his Seahawks defensive front.

Seattle made inactive 90 minutes before kickoff starting weakside linebacker Jerome Baker, because of his ongoing hamstring issue. He had been questionable to play.

The lone good news for the Seahawks on the injury front Monday night: Lead running back Kenneth Walker was active and ready to start for the first time in three games. Walker, who played in college 90 minutes west of Detroit at Michigan State, injured his oblique at the end of his 103-yard running day in Seattle’s opening-game win over Denver Sept. 8.

Baker joined starting outside linebackers Uchenna Nwosu sprained knee) and Boye Mafe (knee), plus top defensive linemen Leonard Williams (ribs) and rookie first-round draft choice Byron Murphy (hamstring) as inactive at Detroit.

Macdonald acknowledged Saturday before the Seahawks flew to Michigan their quest for the third 4-0 start in team history depending on at least four reserve players stepping up to the challenge in Detroit.

“When we’ve got four guys that are down, that’s four more guys are going to be up,” Macdonald said. “Looking forward to seeing those guys play. When you talk about having depth on your football team, you want the feeling to be like, ‘OK, I can’t wait to see whoever’s going to get that opportunity now.’

“So that’s our view, is that guys are going to have more opportunities than they’ve usually had, and looking forward to seeing what they do.”

Rookie fourth-round draft choice Tyrice Knight and usual special-teams player Drake Thomas were ready to share Baker’s role next to middle linebacker Tyrel Dodson for the second consecutive game.

Trevis Gipson was ready to get more than his season-high 17 snaps at outside linebacker opposite second-year man Derick Hall. Hall entered Monday night co-leading the team in sacks (three) with Mafe.

Baker has had a hamstring issue since the early days of training camp in August. He played in week two at New England and had four tackles two weeks ago before he aggravated the hamstring injury running laterally to chase down a Patriots play to the sideline in the second quarter Sept. 15.

Practice-squad elevations

The Seahawks called up two reinforcements for their defensive front. Monday afternoon they elevated from the practice squad outside linebacker Tyus Bowser and just-signed-back defensive tackle Quinton Bohanna.

Bohanna, a former Dallas Cowboy with current Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde, spent the preseason with Tennessee. He signed with Seattle for the second time in September this past weekend.