Seahawks | Mike Holmgren exhales: Lofa Tatupu to return

RENTON — Was Mike Holmgren relieved to hear that linebacker Lofa Tatupu's knee was just bruised, not broken?

"Yeah," Holmgren said. "How about you?"

Anyone with a rooting interest in the Seahawks exhaled a sigh of relief Wednesday when the coach said that the knee injury Tatupu suffered in Monday night's exhibition game in San Diego was nothing more serious than a bone bruise. Holmgren said Tatupu should be ready to play in the regular-season opener in Buffalo on Sept. 7.

Tatupu was on the field when Wednesday's practice began while his teammates stretched, but he did not participate. He got treatment for the injury while the team worked out.

Tatupu made the Pro Bowl each of his three seasons in the league, and his status was the primary question after he left Monday's game because of a knee injury.

"He's very important to this football team," Holmgren said. "In preseason, they have to play and get ready to go, but you just kind of hold your breath all the time."

Holmgren said after the game that Tatupu didn't appear to have any ligament damage in his knee. Tests on Tuesday confirmed that diagnosis.

Tatupu probably won't play in Friday's final exhibition game against Oakland, but he may not be the only one. Holmgren said he will approach the lineup for this game as he has in recent years. Last year, a number of starters did not play in the final exhibition game, including Tatupu.

Back in a snap

Seattle's new long snapper actually isn't all that new to either the team or the league.

It's Jeff Robinson, who is 38 and played the final three regular-season games and two playoff games for the Seahawks last season. This will be his 15th year in the NFL, and he previously played with the Broncos, Rams and Cowboys.

"I was a little more prepared this year than last year to say the least," Robinson said.

His wife, Laura, is a registered dietitian and a physical therapist, and both work with their business, 5 Focus, a health and wellness center in South Lake Union. On Wednesday, he was out there practicing to be Seattle's long-snapper when the season opens.

Seattle released Tim Lindsey to make room for Robinson on the roster, but the player he's really replacing is Tyler Schmitt, the rookie the Seahawks drafted in the sixth round to be their long snapper this season. Schmitt has a back condition severe enough the Seahawks put him on injured reserve, making him ineligible to play the rest of the season.

"It's pretty bad," Holmgren said of Schmitt. "We found out about it and tried to treat it, and it was the doctor's opinion that it wouldn't get any better without a little bit of rest, a long rest."

Holmgren was asked about Schmitt's long-term prognosis in terms of football.

"I don't know," Holmgren said. "He's a young man, and he's got a back like mine."

Holmgren is 60.

QB or not QB

Charlie Frye did not practice Wednesday because of a knee injury he suffered in the second half of Monday's game. The injury, however, is not that serious, and Holmgren said Frye would be available if necessary in Friday's exhibition game against Oakland.

Starter Matt Hasselbeck did not practice, continuing to sit out with a tight back. He has not played in the past two exhibition games, and Holmgren said Seneca Wallace and fourth-string quarterback Dalton Bell are expected to play Friday against Oakland.

NOTE

• DT Craig Terrill was held out of practice though Holmgren did not specify the exact injury. He joked Terrill had a sore back after picking up an amplifier, a nod to Terrill's skills on the guitar.

The coach also said he told Terrill he lost all respect for him because he's now hanging out with the quarterbacks and wearing a red jersey to denote no contact.