RENTON J.R. Sweezy Color Rush Jersey , Wash. (AP) ¡ª Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas was at practice on Friday but did not take part because of reasons of a personal nature, according to coach Pete Carroll.Carroll left open the possibility that the issue ¡ª that he wouldn¡¯t detail ¡ª could keep Thomas from playing Sunday in the team¡¯s home opener against the Dallas Cowboys.¡°He couldn¡¯t work today,¡± Carroll said. ¡°¡­ We¡¯ll see how he¡¯s doing. Make sure he¡¯s OK.¡±Thomas did not take part in practice on Wednesday either and was listed on the team¡¯s injury report as being out for non-injury reasons. He returned to practice on Thursday before missing the team¡¯s final practice of the week on Friday.Carroll confirmed that his absence had nothing to do with an injury.¡°He¡¯s got some other stuff going on we¡¯re working on,¡± Carroll said.Thomas held out from all offseason work with the Seahawks in hopes of getting a new contract from the Seahawks. The move did not succeed despite Thomas¡¯ efforts and he reported to the team before the start of the regular season. The possibility of a trade has persisted, though nothing has apparently been deemed sufficient for Seattle to deal him at this point.If Thomas didn¡¯t play against Dallas Quinton Jefferson Color Rush Jersey , Tedric Thompson would serve as the replacement at free safety.Meanwhile, left guard Ethan Pocic was ruled out because of an ankle injury sustained last Monday against the Chicago Bears. Center Justin Britt was also listed as questionable because of a right shoulder injury that occurred chasing Russell Wilson¡¯s fumble.¡°Just out in space he was running open area and he turned his ankle and it just flared up,¡± Carroll said of Pocic. ¡°We¡¯re surprised (with) how it looked that it didn¡¯t respond. He¡¯s certainly got something we found on the MRI and all that so we¡¯ve got to take care of him.¡±Carroll said Britt has progressed through the week and will be a game-time decision against Dallas.¡°He¡¯s feeling way better,¡± Carroll said. ¡°Didn¡¯t get the work this week though. He¡¯s been out there with us a long time and he knows what¡¯s going on so he could play on Sunday in this instance.¡±D.J. Fluker is returning to the lineup at right guard after missing the first two regular-season games with a hamstring injury. Fluker¡¯s return allows J.R. Sweezy to make his first start at left guard in place of Pocic. Sweezy has started 65 games over seven seasons in the NFL, but all have come at right guard.Wide receiver Doug Baldwin and linebacker K.J. Wright have also been ruled out because of knee injuries. When the 2019 NFL season opens for the Seattle Seahawks the team will have a new strength and conditioning staff Tom Johnson Color Rush Jersey , following the termination of those who had filled the role the past few years...." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteField Gullsa Seattle Seahawks communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsSeahawksOddsAboutMastheadCommuni ty GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections VideosCoffee and CigarettesGame AnalysisThe Numbers GameCigar ThoughtsFiled under:The OffseasonHealth care for NFL players continues to evolvePDTShareTweetShareShareHealth care for NFL players continues to evolvePhoto by Ezra Shaw/Getty ImagesWhen the 2019 NFL season opens for the Seattle Seahawks the team will have a new strength and conditioning staff, following the termination of those who had filled the role the past few years. There has been no clear indication from the team regarding what led to the change, but it¡¯s not hard to imagine that it may have been in part driven by a desire to hopefully see fewer injuries to players going forward. Whether or not the change brings about that effect, the NFL and NFLPA on Monday released a joint statement on a topic that has been discussed for decades. The first noteworthy portion of that from the side of the players is the ¡°alternative therapies¡± that will be looked at from the pain management side. Obviously, one of the first alternative therapies likely to be investigated will be the use of marijuana for pain management. While medical marijuana is legal in roughly two thirds of states and legal for recreational use in eleven states Rasheem Green Color Rush Jersey , it remains illegal under federal law. The issue, of course, is that it remains illegal on a federal level, which complicates things for a multi-billion dollar entity with operations spanning the country. Especially considering that the economics of the game would have the potentially to drastically change if the federal government were to threaten to remove the anti-trust exemption the league enjoys. (Author¡¯s note: This is a subject which is fine and dandy to discuss in the comments with no problem. However, it is also a subject which could easily devolve into politics and what not Will Dissly Color Rush Jersey , which are not fine and dandy to discuss in the comments.)In any case, the second part of the joint statement was actually more interesting to me than the first part. As someone who has dealt with the long term effects of a head injury suffered during a field exercise at Camp Pendleton in 1998, it is welcoming to see the involved parties taking steps to help address the concerns created and void in this area. The physical disabilities that former players face as a result of the abuse inflicted on their bodies has been long discussed by many, and addressing the mental health side while players are still in their playing days has the potential to significantly help thousands of players in the future.