Seahawks sent 11 home sick. All are expected to play at Rams. Plus, Ryan Neal’s status

An illness swept through the Seahawks’ locker room this week.

Coach Pete Carroll had to send 11 players plus a couple coaches home from practice and away from the team’s facility.

But, no, Carroll didn’t ask the NFL if the Seahawks could move their game Sunday with the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood, California, to Tuesday.

“Uh, no,” Carroll said.

He smirked at his memory of the Rams’ COVID-19 outbreak last December led the league to move Seattle’s must-win game at L.A. from a Sunday to a Tuesday afternoon. That was against previous NFL policy for the 2021 season. By the time of the only Tuesday game in Seahawks history, the front-line Rams who would have missed the Sunday game per NFL COVID protocols played — and beat the Seahawks.

“No, we didn’t do that,” Carroll said.

“I remember that.”

Players and coaches were wearing surgical masks around the locker room and during practices this week. Linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who had missed practice Thursday, was full go Friday — while wearing a black, balaclava-like wrap over the lower half of his face.

The wave of illnesses began last weekend. Rookie right tackle Abe Lucas was added to Seattle’s injury report last Saturday, a day before the team played Las Vegas at Lumen Field. Lucas was well enough by Sunday to start and play that entire game, an overtime loss for the Seahawks (6-5).

Carroll said all 11 players who were sick this week had a variation of a 48-hour-like flu.

He said all are likely to play Sunday at L.A.

“It’s hit people differently,” the coach said, adding some players had flu symptoms and others had more more, head-cold-like symptoms.

“But we’re as well-schooled about trying to take care of people as you can be, so we’ve done a good job to keep it down,” Carroll said after two-plus years of being the NFL team with the fewest COVID cases.

“The positive thing is we know it only will last a couple of days and guys will bounce right back out of it.”

Ryan Neal likely to play

The surprise of the Seahawks week, health-wise, was the full participation Ryan Neal had in practices Thursday and Friday.

He missed Wednesday with an injured elbow and shoulder. Carroll feared when Neal badly bruised his shoulder late in the fourth quarter of the Raiders game that the starting strong safety could be out a while.

But now he’s listed as questionable for Sunday with Carroll expecting Neal to start again in Los Angeles.

“It’s looking very promising for him,” Carroll said.

Johnathan Abram integrates right away

Neal’s return lessens the need to speed up Johnathan Abram’s acclimation to the Seahawks defense.

The Seahawks claimed off waivers the former Raiders safety and first-round draft choice from 2019 on Wednesday. His first practice was Thursday.

The Seahawks are not thrilled with Josh Jones as Neal’s backup at strong safety. It’s Jamal Adams’ position, but he’s been out for the season since the first half of the opening game Sept 12 because of a torn quadriceps muscle plus injured knee that required surgery.

Jones, subbing for the injured Neal in overtime against the Raiders last weekend, had a chance in a two-deep-safety alignment to tackle or at least slow down Josh Jacobs. Jones didn’t touch Las Vegas’ running back as he ran by him for an 86-yard touchdown that ended the game.

Abram said Friday of his first two Seahawks practice days: “So far, it’s been amazing.”

He said Seattle’s defensive scheme fits his game.

But the 6-foot, 205-pound likely won’t be making his Seahawks debut Sunday against the Rams.

“We are just finding out. He’s only been on the field a couple times,” Carroll said.

“He’s an experienced player. He’s really versatile. He’s done a lot of stuff. He’s not just been a deep-in-the-hole guy (back deep in coverage) or a guy at the line of scrimmage. He’s done a lot of stuff in their system. ...

“We’ve seen him blitz and cover and play deep stuff and all of that, which is really conducive to our style of play. So that’s one of the reasons we were attracted.

“He’s always been a tough guy. I know he’s a great competitor. So, we’ll see. We’ll see what happens. It’s going to take a little time.”