CHENEY, Wash. -- Seattle Seahawks rookie cornerback Kelly
Jennings strained his groin during Monday morning's practice,
though the 31st overall pick said the injury is minor.
Jennings said he "felt something pull a little" while
defending a pass on the first play of the final, 11-on-11 drill. He
stayed on the field, stretching the groin between plays. Trainers
later stretched both legs while Jennings was on his back along the
sidelines.
"They said I strained the groin a bit," Jennings said while
hobbling out of lunch following practice.
Jennings, signed three days into camp to a five-year contract
with $5 million guaranteed, is battling veteran Kelly Herndon for
the left cornerback job. He is backing up Herndon in the base
defense and is the left corner when Herndon is inside as the fifth
defensive back in the first nickel defense.
When asked if he would miss practice Tuesday, Jennings said,
"No. I'm fine."
The Seahawks didn't have Jennings on an injury report later
Monday because Jennings was not due to be on the field for the
afternoon's special-teams-only workout.
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"BIG PLAY" BACK: Jordan Babineaux returned to practice for the
first time since offseason shoulder surgery. Babineaux, whom
teammates nicknamed "Big Play" following a series of game-turning
feats last season, brings versatility. He has played nickel back,
cornerback and safety.
"It felt good being back, and everything feels good,"
Babineaux said, while teammates teased him for being late to
post-practice weight lifting. "The coaches told me last night that
I could come out and get my timing down and footwork down ... That
was today's agenda."
Coach Mike Holmgren said Babineaux is going to be a cornerback,
for now.
"We're going to ease him into it," Holmgren said. "His legs
are good and his shoulder has come back, so he's ready to go now."
Babineaux and Holmgren agreed the third-year veteran from
Southern Arkansas could still be a candidate in what has been the
Jennings-versus-Herndon battle to start at left cornerback.
"Sure," Holmgren said. "He's lost a lot of practice time, so
it is hard, but I'm not discounting or throwing anything out now.
It's too early. We'll see."
Babineaux said: "Once I actually get a chance to compete,
hopefully I'll have a chance to make a statement."
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STEVENS CLOSE: Holmgren said tight end Jerramy Stevens was
scheduled to make his camp practice debut Wednesday. Stevens, who
emerged as one of quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's favorite third-down
targets last season and then had a drop-filled Super Bowl, had
surgery on his left knee April 25.
"It's good. I talked to him today and he's a little uncertain,
but he's uncertain because he hasn't done anything," Holmgren
said. "As far as our training staff, he's ready to come back.
We'll ease him into it."
Holmgren was not sure when Stevens would play in his first
exhibition game.
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SCARY ACT: Starting defensive tackle Chuck Darby limped off the
field Monday morning with an apparent injury to his left leg that
briefly stunned Holmgren. But after trainers worked on him, Darby
appeared fine.
"He got kicked," Holmgren said. "I told him when his football
career is over I have a guy in Hollywood that can help him."