Ed Dickson expected to return to practice next week for Seahawks

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Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said tight end Ed Dickson is expected to return to practice with the team next week as he works back from knee surgery in August.

Dickson has been on the injured reserve list since shortly after roster cuts at the end of training camp. Seattle kept him on their initial 53-man roster to ensure he could return to the team later in the year. He had surgery on Aug. 6 and Carroll had indicated at the time the team was hopeful he could return in around a month.

Instead, he landed on IR and has been unavailable for the first half of the season.

“Ed is working really well,” Carroll said on Wednesday. “He’s going to come back next week. I think next week is his first chance back. He’s practicing next week. He’s practicing next week. Based on what I’m seeing, he’s going to be practicing to play. That’s pretty optimistic right now. I’ve watched his workouts a number of times in the last couple weeks. He’s working hard and he has a chance. He has a chance to come back in that week and help us some. We’ll see what happens. He’s pretty hopeful. He looks good.”

Dickson has been eligible to practice for the last week but the Seahawks have not elected to make that move just yet. With Will Dissly being lost for the season to a torn Achilles, Dickson would provide a welcome boost at a thin position for Seattle. Luke Willson and Jacob Hollister are the only active tight ends on the roster and extra tight end George Fant has been unavailable in his situational role because he’s started the last two games at left tackle for an injured Duane Brown.

Dickson played in 10 games for Seattle last year after beginning that season on the physically unable to perform list. He caught 12 passes for 143 yards and three touchdowns.