He's going to have to earn it, though. That has become clear after Breno Giacomini not only played some at right tackle during the first half of Saturday's exhibition game in Denver, but continued to alternate with Carpenter, working with the first-string offensive line during Tuesday's practice.

Does that rotation mean coach Pete Carroll is considering a change in the lineup?

"It's a competition that we're just continuing," Carroll said.

Giacomini was drafted in the fifth round out of Louisville in 2008. The Seahawks signed him off the Packers' practice squad last year.

"He has put together a really good preseason," Carroll said of Giacomini. "He has been very solid. He hasn't played against the same guys all the time, but he has had a very solid preseason. He has been around a little bit more so we wanted to make sure that he has the opportunity to show and see if he can help us so we decided to give him some opportunities with the first unit."

Carroll was also careful to praise Carpenter, too, and the rookie is already among the Seahawks' better run-blockers. The concern is whether the struggles he's had protecting the passer would make him too much a liability.

"There's a lot to learn and there's a short time to learn it," Carroll said. "We have to make sure that we're looking out after him, and preparing him as well as we can. He has been thrown right in, his feet are in the fire right from the first game against San Diego. He has done a lot of really good things, but it's still in progress, a process for us to figure it out and see if he will be ready for the opener."

NOTES

• RB Marshawn Lynch (ankle) and LB David Hawthorne (knee) will not play in Friday's exhibition finale against Oakland.

• LT Russell Okung (ankle) is progressing in his recovery, but it's unlikely he will be available for Friday's exhibition game.

• SS Kam Chancellor, who missed Saturday's exhibition game with a foot injury, remained out from practice, but he did run Tuesday and could be close to returning.

• WR Ben Obomanu left practice Tuesday after hitting his head. S Josh Pinkard did not practice Tuesday, watching in full pads while resting a sore knee. WR Sidney Rice sat out the last portion of practice, resting a shoulder that has been sore. Other players not practicing: WR Isaiah Stanback, LB Aaron Curry (knee), DE Chris Clemons (ankle) and DE Pierre Allen (hamstring).