The Seahawks hope Lynch is on his feet and on the field come Sunday in the season opener at Arizona and not just a spectator on the bench.

'The goal is to (play). But I stay ready,' Lynch said. 'So if I do, I do, and if I don't, I don't.'

As Booth noted, Lynch is a bit of a question mark going into Sunday's game with a sore back that has kept him out of the last two preseason games and most of practice during that stretch. Back spasms popped up following Seattle's exhibition win at Denver on Aug. 18 and, while he's receiving treatment, the problem still exists.

Head coach Pete Carroll said the team will take a day-to-day approach with Lynch for the rest of this week. Lynch went through the team's walkthrough on Wednesday morning but was listed as a nonparticipant in the full afternoon practice.

'We really won't know until the end of the week unless something changes,' Carroll said. 'The process that he's gone through, he's aerobically in good shape, we need to get him back his football legs and get him enough reps to do that. We'll continue to progress throughout the week.'

The issue with his back is the latest development in a newsy offseason centered on Lynch. Coming off the finest season of his career, Lynch was rewarded in March when he agreed to a $31 million, four-year contract to stay in Seattle and bypassed an opportunity at free agency.

But the good news about him deciding to stay turned sour when he was arrested on DUI charges early on July 14. Lynch was charged with two counts in Alameda County, Calif.: driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol and driving while having a blood-alcohol level of .08 or higher. He issued an apology shortly after his arrest and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

'That's getting handled,' Lynch said. 'That's a legal matter, so I can't speak on it. But I'm doing great as a person.'

If Lynch can't go on Sunday the job would fall to rookie Robert Turbin, who looked impressive in preseason, running for 165 yards on 38 carries and averaging more than 4 yards per rush. Even if Turbin doesn't start, there will be at least two rookies starting for the Seahawks offense.

One has already been known with the announcement that Russell Wilson will be Seattle's starting quarterback. The other was confirmed on Wednesday when Carroll said that J.R. Sweezy, a converted defensive tackle drafted in the seventh round out of N.C. State, would get the start at right guard against the Cardinals.

Also of interest. ... Receiver Golden Tate, slowed by an injured knee, was held out Wednesday. Previous reporting has suggested Tate will miss this week's game. He'll need to get on the practice field in the next two days to make that happen. Braylon Edwards is expected to start at split end opposite Sidney Rice if Tate can't go.

Stay tuned. ... More after today's practice.