Seahawks can’t catch a break

In football speak, the Seattle Seahawks’ situation at the wide receiver position is a little bit like that Hail-Mary pass often seen at the end of a half.

For the time being, things are that desperate for the Seahawks’ passing game.

Bobby Engram and Deion Branch are hurting and not expected to play Sunday when the Seahawks host the San Francisco 49ers in the home opener. Nate Burleson was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, joining Ben Obomanu on the list of receivers who are out for the year. Also Tuesday, the Seahawks released second-year player Jordan Kent, whom the team is likely to try bringing back on the practice squad.

The only healthy receivers on the roster are Courtney Taylor and Logan Payne, while ESPN has reported that veteran Billy McMullen is likely to join the group today.

“It’s a very unusual situation,” coach Mike Holmgren said of the never-ending cycle of injuries the Seahawks have had at the receiver position this season. “I haven’t had (a season) like what’s happening now – ever.”

In McMullen, Seattle would add a veteran who knows the West Coast system. He started his career under a former Holmgren assistant – Andy Reid – in Philadelphia and played last season under ex-Reid assistant Brad Childress in Minnesota, where he caught a career-high 23 passes.

McMullen spent training camp with the Washington Redskins, who are coached by former Seahawks assistant Jim Zorn, so he certainly knows the offense.

But none of the available veterans – according to the ESPN report, Seattle worked out six on Tuesday – is likely to come in and play like Burleson. So the Seahawks still have to lean on their young pair of wideouts until veterans Branch and Engram get healthy – possibly in Week 3, or more likely, after the Week 4 bye.

“I don’t think anybody could have seen this coming,” said Payne, who went into training camp as a long shot to make the final roster. “Nate is a big-play type guy and a big play threat.

“It will be tough, but we look at the bright side, where the young guys get more opportunities. We have to step up, and that is what football and the NFL are all about.”

Taylor, Payne and Kent – all second-year players – saw the most action of their careers in Sunday’s opener. But the trio combined for just 44 yards on four receptions, with two dropped passes.

“I did not particularly like how we played at that position (Sunday) in the game,” Holmgren said on Monday. “You kind of anticipate some young mistakes and things like that, but we have to catch the football. That’s not youth. That’s just – catch the ball.”

•The Seahawks got more bad news – right guard Rob Sims may have suffered a season-ending injury to his pectoral muscle. The team is expected to put him on injured reserve today.

If Sims is out, Floyd Womack is expected to be the first choice to become the starter at right guard. Mansfield Wrotto, a second-year lineman, played right guard throughout training camp.