Seahawks sign Maxwell, expect Thomas to return

The emergency signals are flashing at Seahawks headquarters. Responding are FS Earl Thomas and CB Byron Maxwell, 50 percent of the original Legion of Boom, because at the end of the 22-16 win over the Cardinals in Arizona Thursday, the remaining Boom had gone bust.

ESPN and the NFL Network reported that the Seahawks will sign Maxwell, a free agent after he was cut two weeks ago by the Miami Dolphins, to fill the roster spot when CB Richard Sherman goes on injured reserve after rupturing his Achilles tendon. He will undergo surgery and be lost for the season, but is expected to return for 2018.

Coach Pete Carroll reported that Thomas, who sat out Thursday with a strained hamstring, should be healthy enough to play when the Seahawks host the Atlanta Falcons Monday night.

“I think he will make it back,” Carroll said on his weekly show on ESPN 710 radio. “He felt like he probably could have played (against Arizona) had he gotten a couple of days of practice. It worked out great. We made it through the game.”

Carroll had praise for fill-in FS Bradley McDougald, who could move to strong safety if Kam Chancellor, who had a neck stinger near the end of the game and was carted off the field, can’t go.

“We don’t know yet,” Carroll said of Chancellor. “We have to make sure that he’s OK. He’s going to get some tests and make sure. This is stuff that is just so critical, we do a really good job and take our time with it.‘’

So Thursday, Thomas didn’t start, and Sherman and Chancellor didn’t finish. The Seahawks are fortunate that the Cardinals QB was backup Drew Stanton and not Carson Palmer, because the outcome likely would have been different.

A sixth-round draft choice out of Clemson, Maxwell, 29, was a Seahawk from 2011-14, and a regular on the team that won the Super Bowl. He left for Philadelphia in free agency and a six-year, $63 million deal. He lasted only a year (14 starts) before the Eagles traded him to the Dolphins. He started 13 games in 2016 and played two games this season before being benched, and also had a sore hamstring.

Maxwell reportedly agreed to a one-year deal at the $900,000 minimum for a seven-year veteran, pro-rated to around $370,000 for the remaining seven games. The Dolphins paid the balance of his $8.5 million salary as termination pay.

Maxwell worked out Monday for the Seahawks after Carroll’s radio show, so no word was available on Maxwell’s readiness to play.

Jeremy Lane, who finished Sherman’s duties Thursday, is likely to start against Atlanta. Rookie Shaquill Griffin will likely stay at the other corner, and Justin Coleman will fill the slot position. Neiko Thorpe is a reserve.

Brown  hurting, Joeckel healing

On another important injury question, Carroll had no update on whether newly acquired LT Duane Brown, who hurt his ankle in the first half, will be available.

“Don’t know,” he said. “You saw it — that was a pretty dangerous situation right there. Hopefully he’ll practice a little bit this week and have a chance.”

More hopeful was word that LG Luke Joeckel, who had arthroscopic knee surgery, is close to returning “maybe in a week, maybe he comes back this week.’’ Rookie Ethan Pocic has been filling in with mediocre results.

Carroll sounded as if another injured cornerback, DeShawn Shead, was further away.

“He’s at a bit of a plateau now that he’s trying to get through and over,’’ Carroll said. “He’s in great shape. He can run forever, but he’s just not quite back yet fully yet where he has all the movement and extension that he needs.”

RB C.J. Prosise, interviewed on KING5’s post-Monday night program, said he has a high sprain of his left ankle, not the right ankle that has kept him out since Sept. 24. High sprains usually take several weeks, meaning the Seahawks likely are down to two healthy running backs, Thomas Rawls and J.D. McKissic.