Seahawks left guard Luke Joeckel did indeed have surgery on his knee last week during Seattle’s bye week. Head coach Pete Carroll said last week Joeckel would have the arthroscopic procedure done last Thursday and the schedule was followed as planned, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
Carroll didn’t have an expected timetable on Joeckel’s recovery projection last week, but did say it was unlikely Joeckel would be able to play this week against the New York Giants.
“I think that’s going to be hard to count on that. That’s probably too much to count on,” he said.
The procedure is to the same knee in which Joeckel sustained a torn ACL last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Seahawks limited his offseason work in hopes of keeping him fresh and healthy for the season. Ultimately, it was decided an additional follow-up procedure was necessary.
“It’s just developments that occur going through the process of getting your knee back,” Carroll said last week. “We brought him back very carefully, and there was something that was kind of hanging in there, it was bothering or irritating him for some time, and we tried to wait it out and see what it was, and we have waited as long as we can wait, and he’s been a stud about it. Now it’s time to get it cleaned up and hopefully it’ll be really smooth for him, and the doctors will get in there and get him cleaned out, and away we go.”
Joeckel has started all five games for Seattle at left guard this season. The Seahawks have three potential replacements to turn to in the interim. Mark Glowinski started 16 games at left guard last year and the first two games of this season at right guard and has the most experience of any option available. Second-round pick Ethan Pocic and undrafted free agent Jordan Roos would also be in consideration.
Roos has spent the most time at left guard of the three. Glowinski has played on the right side throughout the offseason. Pocic has primarily played at tackle and center, and mostly on the right side of the line.
