Seahawks place quarterback Russell Wilson on injured reserve

The Seattle Seahawks have placed quarterback Russell Wilson on the injured reserve list, per ESPN’s Field Yates. The move means Wilson will not be eligible to return to action until at least Week 10.

Wilson suffered an injury to his right middle finger in Week 5 against the Rams. He had surgery and is reported to have around a 6-8 week recovery period.

Geno Smith entered late in the game for Wilson and finished 10-of-17 passing for 131 yards, a touchdowns and an interception. He is set to lead the offense into a Week 6 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday evening.

Prior to his injury, Wilson had passed for 1,196 yards, 10 touchdowns and only one interception on the season. The Seahawks have already said they expect him back at some point this season, so his move to injured reserve is nothing to be alarmed about.

In the meantime, Smith has a talented receiving corps buoyed by Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. He also brings a couple years of starting experience with the New York Jets, but led them to just an 11-18 record in that span.

The former second round pick joined the Seahawks last year and served as the backup to Wilson. He saw action in only one game, completed 4-of-5 passes for 33 yards.

The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Seahawks, who currently sit at 2-3 overall. As they try to play catch up with the Arizona Cardinals (5-0) and Rams (4-1), they will also have to deal with Smith establishing connections with receivers. He already hit Metcalf for a touchdown Thursday, are more to come from the duo?

As of now, the earliest that Wilson can return is a Nov. 14 date against the Green Bay Packers, but even that seems optimistic. It’s likely that is Seattle wants to keep its playoff hopes alive, it must trust in Smith.