Pete Carroll optimistic Jimmy Graham, Thomas Rawls will be ready for start of Seahawks’ season

Tight end Jimmy Graham and running back Thomas Rawls remain forced to watch from the sidelines as the Seahawks continue through the Organized Team Activities portion of their off-season program.

But each continues to progress well on their road to recovery from late-season injuries, said coach Pete Carroll when he met the media following Thursday’s OTA, the third of nine the team will hold.

Graham is beginning to do some straight-line running and caught a few passes in warmups before team drills began while Rawls has also done some running.

“Those guys are both making really good progress.’’ Carroll said of Graham, who suffered a torn patellar tendon on Nov. 29, and Rawls, who suffered a broken left ankle on Dec. 13. “Thomas is running and Jimmy is back to running on the field the last couple of days, which is great. He’s made terrific progress. Both of their attitudes are really good. They are really positive about making it. It’s a long haul for those guys and we feel for them because hey want to be a part of it like everyone else. But they are doing a great job of going through what they need to do.’’

Carroll said the team remains optimistic each will be ready for the season but said each will likely be limited — if on the field at all — when training camp begins.

“We’re thinking that that’s real possibility, yeah,’’ Carroll said of if the two could be ready for the start of the season. “That’s kind of what we are thinking . We have to avoid setbacks, obviously. But we are kind of counting on it.’’

As for being ready for training camp, Carroll said: “I think we will probably ease into training camp with both guys, you know. And Jimmy is a little farther behind than Thomas. We wont rush them at that point. We will use all of the six weeks in there and take advantage of it.’’

Quarterback Russell Wilson said Graham is “healing really fast and getting out there catching footballs as much as he can and just the communication in the meetings and all of that — he’s on it as good as can be. He’s a great friend, he’s a guy that is so competitive in a good way, too. He’s a fighter so he wants to get back out on the field quickly, He’s going to be back sooner I think than people think. He’s going to be ready go to.’’

Here are some other personnel notes from Thursday’s OTA:

• Offensive tackle Garry Gilliam was absent after having a cyst removed from his knee on Wednesday. “He had to get if fixed, taken out,’’ Carroll said. “He doesn’t have a knee issue other than that so we did that yesterday and everything went fine and he’ll be out a couple of weeks.’’ Carroll said Gilliam will be ready for training camp.
• J’Marcus Webb, signed as a free agent and expected to start at right tackle, remains out with a calf pull that Carroll said could sideline him another 10 days.So that has the Seahawk working with a starting offensive line of Terry Poole at right tackle, Germain Ifedi at right guard, Justin Britt at center, Mark Glowinski at left guard and Bradley Sowell at left tackle. The second team OL was RT Lene Maiava alternating with Kona Schwenke, RG Will Pericak alternating with Kristjan Sokoli, C Patrick Lewis alternating with Joey Hunt, LG Rees Odhiambo and LT George Fant.
• DE Chris Clemons is not taking part in OTAs. Said Carroll: “He’s been out here some of the time (for prior phases of the off-season program). He has chosen not to do this. This is voluntary — he really knows the definition of that, too.’’
• DT Michael Bennett also remains out but Carroll said he is expected back for everything that is mandatory. “I think that’s what the plan is,’’ Carroll said. “He’s working really hard. He’s sent me videos of his workouts and stuff like that so we are still in touch. We’d love to have him here but it’s his choice.’’
• RB C.J. Prosise was sidelined Thursday with what Carroll said is “a little hip flexor that kind of got heated up on Tuesday. So I don’t know how long it’s going to last. Doesn’t seem to be real serious.’’
• CB DeShawn Shead was also out today with an undisclosed issue though he was running on the hill.
• LB K.J. Wright was also absent after having welcomed his first child earlier this week.
• Carroll, asked about a report that Marshawn Lynch may still want to play, said a simple “no” when asked if the team has heard from Lynch about a change in his stated plans for retirement. Seattle has placed Lynch on the reserve/retired list and retains his rights. Lynch had two more seasons remaining on his contract and Seattle holds his rights for those two years — and if Lynch were to sit out a year and then want to come play, Seattle would still hold his rights for two more years following the year he sat out. There is no indication that Lynch would play again for Seattle if he wanted to return. But the first move to coming back would be for the Seahawks to have to release him or trade him.