Seattle Seahawks rookie Malik McDowell could rejoin team as soon as Tuesday

The Seattle Seahawks first pick from the 2017 NFL Draft could finally be joining the team at training camp.

The Seattle Seahawks didn’t pick until the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. When they finally did pick, they grabbed a player who could step in immediately and make an impact on defense. Malik McDowell from Michigan State University was the 35th overall selection in the draft and the Seattle Seahawks’ first pick.

An accident dashed all hopes of McDowell coming in right away and shoring up the defensive line. About two weeks ago, McDowell was in a serious ATV accident.

The Seattle Seahawks issued a statement on Sunday afternoon describing his status.

It was quickly reported that there was a chance that McDowell would miss the entire season, with some speculating the injuries were career-ending. While McDowell quickly put an end to the rumors, his return has no timeline.

That ended today when Bob Condotta, a Seattle Seahawks reporter for The Seattle Times sent out the following tweet.

Will he play?

Condotta says no one knows when McDowell will even begin to practice, let alone play. Still, he will most likely be officially reporting on Tuesday.

Seattle Seahawks team doctors will love to get a look at McDowell to find a potential timeline for his return. Unfortunately, officially reporting to training camp may have some consequences. Once McDowell returns to training camp, his tenure on the reserve/did not report list will end.

This means the Seahawks will waive a healthy camp body to move him to the non-football injury list. The non-football injury list counts against the 90-man roster limit while the reserve/did not report list does not.

According to Condotta, McDowell’s accident resulted in a concussion and facial injuries. This information has not officially been released by the team for two reasons. First, Seattle’s doctors have not seen at McDowell. Second, the team cited McDowell’s wish for privacy.

Until we hear from the team, it is impossible to predict a timeline for McDowell’s return, but it is a sign of progress to see him healthy enough to report to training camp.

One thing is certain, though: the Seahawks want McDowell back. Over the course of his three-year college career, McDowell performed well. The former Spartan had 88 tackles and 7.5 sacks, according to Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk.

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Still, if McDowell does not make a return to the field this season, his long-term health is a priority to the Seahawks.