Seahawks Notebook | Koren Robinson might face former teams in return debut

RENTON — It has been more than three weeks since the Seahawks signed Koren Robinson, and the wide receiver in his second Seattle tour of duty has yet to play in a game.

He'd hardly practiced, arriving at team headquarters last month with a troublesome knee that affected him last season and that is only now feeling good enough to allow him to get through an entire session.

Now Robinson seems ready to play after two days of full participation in practice this week. If Sunday is his first game, it will be against one of his former teams, the Green Bay Packers.

"I'm definitely getting there," Robinson said. "I'm not where I will be."

But Robinson is happy to be where he is, considering where he has been — out of the NFL, suspended for a year for violation of the NFL substance abuse policy. He's also been released twice, by Seattle and Minnesota, because of his off-field troubles.

Robinson was a Packer during his suspension, and just before he rejoined the team, former Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre publicly spoke out on Robinson's behalf.

Favre said Robinson deserved the chance to show the NFL that he'd turned his life around. Robinson has never forgotten it.

"Somebody being in your corner, that means that you touched him in some type of way for him to speak up for you," Robinson said. "So that means that you're doing something right. Just him being who he is, that meant a lot to me and just gave me more motivation to continue doing what I was doing off the field when I had that time off."

The Packers released Robinson in May. Coach Mike McCarthy said the knee had to do with that decision.

"There are always a number of different factors and the dynamics of the roster," McCarthy said. "I'm glad to see he is back there playing. I think he is a great fit for this style of offense."

Robinson never got a chance in another team's training camp. That may have contributed to him not being in football shape when the Seahawks signed him.

"I feel like they [the Seahawks] understood that," Robinson said. "I wanted to come in and play right away and that was the plan, but we'll see what happens."

Robinson is a little nervous, but he expects to feel energized by playing at Qwest Field. He said the Seahawks fans he has talked to have welcomed him back.

Notes

• The Seahawks brought back RB Justin Forsett, one of their seventh-round picks this year, to the practice squad after the Indianapolis Colts released him from their active roster earlier this week. Forsett was released by the Seahawks on Sept. 9 and picked up by the Colts, where he returned 11 kicks for 248 yards in three games. "I always thought this was my home," Forsett said Thursday after practice. "I wanted to be here, and I'm just happy to be back."

• Seattle released RB Matt Lawrence to make room for Forsett, and also cut WR Trent Shelton. QB Travis Lulay, who was in Seattle's training camp in 2006, replaced Shelton on the nine-man practice squad. Lulay ran the scout team in practice Thursday.

• Seahawks DE Patrick Kerney was asked how different it will be without Favre playing for the Packers. "We'll have less underhand passing," Kerney said, referring to the highlight play Favre made on the Seahawks during the playoff game last season.

• QB Matt Hasselbeck did not practice Thursday but isn't expected to miss Sunday's game. LB Leroy Hill returned to full participation after being limited Wednesday because of a knee injury.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com