The Seattle Seahawks are looking to extend their winning streak against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday and they'll have to do so without one of the underrated pieces of their team. Among the injuries on the roster, Seattle is losing cornerback Neiko Thorpe to injured reserve.
While Thorpe is officially listed as a cornerback on the roster, he spends most of his time on the field on special teams. As a matter of fact, Thorpe has been one of the standout players for Seattle's special-teams unit in recent years.
This year alone, Thorpe has suited up in seven games for the Seahawks. In those seven games, the veteran cornerback has only seen 22 snaps on the defensive side of the ball.
Thorpe has spent the past four seasons with the Seahawks after beginning his career with the Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders. It's safe to say that he's found his long-term home in Seattle as a special-teams contributor.
Unfortunately, Thorpe recently underwent surgery on a sports hernia—effectively ending his season. The Seahawks' defensive back hasn't been active since Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers.
The injury to Thorpe will allow other players on the roster an opportunity to prove themselves on special teams.
On the surface, Thorpe landing on injured reserve doesn't appear to be a huge loss for the Seahawks. Contrary to belief, Thorpe's contributions on special teams will be missed as Seattle hopes to finish the season strong.
Besides Thorpe, the Seahawks are also likely to be without Mychal Kendricks at linebacker. That means that rookie Cody Barton will likely receive his first career start for the Seahawks in Week 14.
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