The Seattle Seahawks could be without first-round draft pick Russell Okung for the remainder of the preseason after he left Saturday's game against the Green Bay Packers with an ankle injury, NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora reported Sunday, citing a league source.
The Seahawks initially feared that Okung might have suffered a high ankle sprain -- an injury that often takes two months or more to heal -- but an MRI on Sunday revealed a sprain that is expected to keep the rookie left tackle out for just two to four weeks.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, speaking after Saturday's 27-24 loss to the Packers, said he didn't know how Okung was injured, only that it stings a team that's banking on improved offensive line play to lead a comeback season after going 9-23 the last two years.
"It's pretty significant," Carroll said of losing Okung, the foundation to the coach's changing offensive line. "Obviously, we made it as big a priority as we could make it to get him."
Okung wasn't in the Seahawks' locker room following the game.
Okung sprained the same ankle during Oklahoma State's opener against Georgia last season, but he missed just a few plays. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound stalwart started all 13 games for those college Cowboys last season, although the ankle continued to bother him late into the year.
Mansfield Wrotto, normally a guard, replaced Okung on Saturday. Seattle already is without backup tackle Ray Willis for an indefinite time because he's facing knee surgery.
After Okung missed the first eight days of training camp because of a contract impasse, the Seahawks gave him a six-year deal that has a maximum value of $58 million earlier this month.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
