When is good really bad?

Well, apparently when discussing the extent of the high-ankle sprain that has kept Seahawks offensive tackle Sean Locklear on the sideline and out of games since week two of the NFL season.

Perhaps offensive line coach Mike Solari best summed it up, when asked about Locklear’s sprain.

“It was a good one,” Solari said. “It was a good ankle sprain.”

That would be a good ankle sprain as in a bad ankle sprain.

Locklear was in uniform for Sunday’s win over the Detroit Lions, but did not play a snap. And in the week leading up to the game, his participation in practice was limited.

This week, at least judging from Wednesday’s practice, it appears as though Locklear will be taking snaps on Sunday in Phoenix against the Arizona Cardinals.

So it appears as though Locklear’s sprain is finally good — as in getting better — and he will be ready to return to game action.

Locklear worked with the first-unit offensive line at left tackle for most of the team periods and moved around decently.

Still, head coach Jim Mora wouldn’t offer much in the way of solidifying Locklear’s status.

“We’ll see throughout the week how’s he doing,” Mora said.

Solari was also cautiously optimistic. Even though Locklear practiced fully Wednesday, Solari wasn’t guaranteeing him a starting spot on Sunday.

“Again, he could be real sore (today), and that could change it,” Solari said. “Every day is a new test of where he’s at.

”It’s just a matter of him feeling strong about where he can plant that foot on the ground."

For an offensive lineman, the need to have both feet and ankles stable is a key for balance — a necessity for success.

”It’s the foundation underneath of you,“ Solari said.

But having faith in the foundation is another key. Locklear has to know that his ankle is strong enough support him when he needs it.

”I think initially it’s mental,“ Solari said. ”I truly believe anytime you come back from an injury like that, it’s a confidence, ’Can I plant it?’

“Once you start doing it, then you don’t think about it. We have to get him back to that point, where he doesn’t think about it.”

If Locklear can’t get to that point, the Seahawks take some solace in knowing that Damion McIntosh is there to take his place.

The veteran left tackle has started the last two weeks and proven to be a capable replacement.

“Regardless of whether (McIntosh) starts or Sean starts or how we do that, we feel good about that position right now,” Mora said.

It also allows the Seahawks not to push Locklear to return to soon and possibly damage the ankle more, or play him when he physically isn’t ready to compete against Arizona’s formidable defensive front.

“We certainly don’t want to put Sean in a position to go out there and fail,” Mora said. “We want to make sure he’s ready to go before we put him out there. Having Damion playing the way he is gives us a little leeway that we maybe didn’t have earlier in

the year. So that’s a good thing for us.”

McIntosh understands his role with the Seahawks.

“In my mind, Lock was the starter before he got hurt and is the starter now,” McIntosh said. “You normally don’t lose your starting spot because of an injury, which is fine with me.”

But McIntosh will continue to prepare like he’s going to start.

“I have to make sure I continue to learn the offense and keep getting better,” he said. “They didn’t bring me here just to relax. Being a professional, I have to go out there and make sure I’m ready for any circumstance that is out there.”

Extra points

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck is still being bothered by a sore throwing shoulder that wasn’t 100 percent going into the game with Detroit. His tackle following an interception only provided more pain. He was limited in practice Wednesday, but Mora said he’ll be ready to go on Sunday. … The Seahawks added receiver Mike Jones to the practice squad today. The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder out of Arizona State was previously with the Houston Texans, where he was a free-agent pickup and one of the first roster cuts in training camp for the Texans. … The Seahawks still have a spot on the practice squad open and it will likely go to wide receiver Mike Hass, who was cut the other day, provided he clears waivers.