Seattle Seahawks rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II officially returned to Monday’s practice. Murphy had missed three consecutive contests, all defeats, since injuring his hamstring in a Week 3 victory over the Miami Dolphins. Following his return to practice, the expectation is that the rookie interior defender will return for Sunday’s Week 7 contest versus the Atlanta Falcons.
The No. 16 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, Murphy has recorded six tackles (one tackle for loss), a half-sack, one quarterback hit, and seven pressures in his three appearances this season, per Pro Football Focus.
Byron Murphy back on field today for Seahawks. pic.twitter.com/VvZO7N9s7R
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) October 14, 2024
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald had shown immediate faith in Murphy prior to his injury. Murphy played 40 defensive snaps, accounting for 58% of all Seahawks defensive plays in the Week 1 victory over the Denver Broncos, according to The Football Guys. In Week 2, the former Texas standout followed that up with a similar 56% workload.
The Seahawks have been relying on the likes of Jarran Reed, Johnathan Hankins, and Myles Adams more in Murphy’s absence. They also recently acquired defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris in a trade, and activated Cameron Young from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Quinton Bohanna has also occasionally received call-ups from the practice squad.
Murphy was playing quality football before suffering the hamstring injury. Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde will be excited to get their first-year contributor back. Murphy could be a difference-maker for a struggling Seahawks defense.
