Wednesday in Hawkville

Published on November 9, 2011 by Seahawks.Com News (Feed)     

A recap of the activities at Virginia Mason Athletic Center for Nov. 9:

FOCUS ON

Deon Butler. Now that the third-year wide receiver has been activated off the physically unable to perform list, the question has switched from when Butler would return to how the Seahawks will use him now that he has.

“Well, we’re going to work him in,” coach Pete Carroll said when asked just that question. “We know he’s a tremendous speed player and a guy that has come through and made a lot of things happen for us last season, so we’re anxious to fit him back in.

“Right now, it’s still part of the process to get him situated. I’m not sure how much we can play him yet, but it’s good to get him back on the roster.”

Butler was activated on Tuesday, and he got reps with the Seahawks’ offense as well as the scout team that works against the Seahawks’ defense in today’s 100-minute practice that was held outside and in full pads as the team prepared for Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens at CenturyLink Field.

Butler had practiced the past three weeks, but today was the first time he got extensive snaps with the offense.

Whatever the role, Butler is eager to grab it after a long rehab that followed breaking his right leg so severely in Week 14 last season that he needed surgery to insert a steel rod.

“It feels good,” Butler said. “I’ve been working hard, practicing and just kind of getting back into shape. It feels good to finally get activated. It took awhile, but I knew it was going to be a business process.”

Just how good is good? “I feel good,” he said. “I’ve been running around. I’ve been hitting the ground probably more than I should in practice, but it’s going to get me ready for a game – whenever that time comes.”

OPPONENT WATCH

Ray Lewis. We gushed about the 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker yesterday in the “star power” portion of our “Up Next” look at the Ravens. Today, it was Carroll’s turn.

“He is an individual player who’s probably set the tone for an entire franchise,” he said. “And he’s done it in extraordinary fashion. He’s a really instinctive football player. He has great knack for where the ball is going. And in that, he has great knack for being at the right place at the right time to make big plays.

“He’s a dramatic football player. He’ll make the big hit. He’ll make the big coverage or the big sack in timely fashion. He’s going to be a shoo-in Hall of Fame player as soon as they can let him in. He’s just done that for so long. That comes from his great knack. He’s always been physical and all that to go along with it, and he can run well and all of that kind of stuff.”

And that just about says it all. Just about.

“He’s an amazing package of all the elements that make up a great player,” Carroll added.

IN ’N OUT

The official injury report:

Did not practice

WR Sidney Rice (foot)

TE Cameron Morrah (toe/knee)

LB David Vobora (concussion)

Limited in practice

QB Tarvaris Jackson (pectoral)

“The gains are very slight,” Carroll said when asked about Jackson continuing to play with a strained pectoral in his right shoulder. “It’s all about how he feels every day, one to the next. His strength is there, which is a really good sign right off the bat coming back.

“But it’s really a day-to-day thing. We’re not out of the woods on this thing yet. But he’s managing it as well as it could possibly be managed and his attitude is great about it.”

Also, defensive end Pierre Allen was signed to the practice squad. He fills one of the spot that opened Tuesday when defensive tackle Pep Levingston was added to the 53-man roster from the practice squad.

Cornerback Walter Thurmond, who had surgery last week to repair the left ankle he fractured in the Week 7 loss to the Browns in Cleveland, watched practice from the sidelines on crutches.

For the Ravens:

Did not practice

C Matt Birk (neck)

Limited in practice

RB Anthony Allen (thigh)

LB Brendon Ayandadejo (head)

LB Dannell Ellerbe (thigh)

WR Lee Evans (ankle)

TE Kris Wilson (calf)

Full participation

CB Chykie Brown (knee)

via Seahawks.com Blog | Wednesday in Hawkville «.

Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Business Process, coach pete carroll, Fit, Game, Getting Back Into Shape, Hitting The Ground, Opponent, Power Portion, pro bowl, Ravens, ray lewis, Rehab, Scout Team, seahawks defense, seahawks offense, Star Power, Steel Rod, Virginia Mason, Wide Receiver