SEATTLE — Two days after he missed a game that revealed just how valuable he is to the Seahawks, receiver Tyler Lockett returned to practice Thursday after having been activated off the COVID-19/reserve list.
Lockett went on the list a week ago along with running back Alex Collins. Both have been activated — Collins returned on Wednesday — and are available to play against the Bears on Sunday at Lumen Field.
Both missed Tuesday's 20-10 loss to the Rams, which was only the second game Lockett had missed in his seven-year NFL career.
Lockett is the Seahawks' leading receiver with 62 receptions for 1,023 yards. He has topped the 1,000-yard mark each of the past three years, the only player in team history to do that besides Hall of Famer Steve Largent.
Lockett coming off the list leaves six players from the 53-man roster on the COVID-19 list — tight end Will Dissly, running back Travis Homer, defensive tackle Bryan Mone, offensive lineman Brandon Shell, cornerback D.J. Reed and defensive end Kerry Hyder, Jr. All but Dissly missed the Rams game. Dissly was placed on the list Wednesday. All have been reported as having tested positive.
The Seahawks had hoped Lockett would be able to return for the Rams game and even had a plane ready to take him to Los Angeles on the day of the game if he had gotten the two negative tests necessary to get cleared. But that did not happen in time.
But Lockett was back at practice Thursday afternoon and offensive coordinator Shane Waldron said that Lockett "says he feels great again."
Waldron said Lockett definitely felt the effects of COVID-19 for a few days.
"It took him a little while to get over COVID," Waldron said. "It's a real thing. It's a real thing out there. And so, you know, his safety and his health was at first priority. But it was great to get him back out here."
The impact of the absence of Lockett for the first time since he missed the regular season finale in 2016 was evident throughout as the Seahawks gained just 214 yards in a 20-10 loss, their second-fewest in a game this season.
Quarterback Russell Wilson targeted DK Metcalf on 12 of his 31 passes, connecting six times but for just 52 yards and a long of 12.
Wilson threw only five other passes to receivers, four of which were incomplete to Dee Eskridge, completing one to Freddie Swain for 25 yards.
He threw six other passes to running backs and five to tight ends.
But the Seahawks had only two sizable passing games in the gain — the 25-yarder to Swain and a 34-yarder to tight end Gerald Everett on a pass Wilson intended for Metcalf before his arm got hit and the ball went off target.
"Guys tried to step up; we tried to fill the void," Waldron said. "But a couple of those plays that he's made for us off schedule didn't quite get to those in this past week, and I'm looking forward to getting him back out here."
The Seahawks have three practice-squad players on the list — center Pier-Olivier Lestage, tight end Ryan Izzo and cornerback Mike Jackson.
