Pete Carroll talks about WR Terrell Owens and breaking camp in Renton.

by Curtis Crabtree
KJR reporter
Twitter: @Curtis_Crabtree

RENTON - WR Terrell Owens will get his first opportunity to play for the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday.

Owens was signed last week but was held out of the game last week as head coach Pete Carroll wanted him to have more time with the team before playing in a game.

The extra week was enough and and Owens is expected to play, and play early, according to Carroll.

"He's going to play this weekend. He's ready to go," Carroll said. "He had two good weeks of work and he came in in great shape so he's ready to go. I'm not going to tell you how many plays it will be but he's going to play early in the game."

"I didn't think it was fair for a guy to come in one week and play after sitting out a whole year."

Owens is competing at one of the most heavily contested positions on the roster. WR Sidney Rice, WR Golden Tate and WR Doug Baldwin appear to be locks to make the roster and WR Ben Obomanu seems pretty safe as well with his ability as a strong special teams player.

That leaves as few as one and as many as three more spots for receivers on the roster.

Owens, WR Braylon Edwards, WR Ricardo Lockette and WR Deon Butler appear to be in the thick of competition for the remaining spots with WR Kris Durham, WR Charly Martin, WR Phil Bates, WR Lavasier Tuniei  and WR Jermaine Kearse appearing to be longer shots at this point.

If the team elects to keep both Edwards and Owens, they could short themselves on special teams as neither will likely play on that unit. It creates an interesting situation from a roster perspective. The remaining three preseason games should help make the position somewhat clearer.

Rice is not expected to play as the team attempts to limit the contact to his surgically repaired shoulders until the regular season begins. Rice has been working fully during practice and is taking a shot here or there, but it's still a somewhat controlled environment during practice.

Carroll wouldn't say whether RB Marshawn Lynch will play against the Broncos on Saturday. He said there is a plan for Lynch but he's not about to share it at this time.

CB Walter Thurmond (leg) and G James Carpenter (knee) remain on the physically unable to perform list.

In addition, eleven players also sat out practice on Thursday. CB Ron Parker (knee), DE Cordarro Law (ankle), DT Jason Jones (knee), DT Pep Levingston, LB Mike Morgan (concussion), LB Matt McCoy (knee), LB Malcolm Smith, C Lemuel Jeanpierre (groin), G John Moffitt (elbow), TE Cameron Morrah (toe), TE Zach Miller (concussion) and WR Ben Obomanu (neck).

Obomanu is expected to play according to Carroll. Parker, Law, Morgan, McCoy, Moffitt and Miller are not expected to be available.