Seahawks linebacker Chad Brown breaks ankle; out for eight weeks

CHENEY — The Seahawks lost Chad Brown, a defensive leader and starting outside linebacker, for at least eight weeks after he broke his left ankle today.

Brown was injured during the morning practice at training camp, when his feet got tangled with Itula Mili's. Brown fell to the ground, moaning and motionless. Trainers gathered around him as silence fell over the practice field.

Doctors later diagnosed Brown with a broken left ankle, a best-case scenario given the scene at practice. Some doctors prefer ankle breaks to high-ankle sprains because they're easier to fix.

The Seahawks expect Brown to miss about eight weeks. And with his backup, D.D. Lewis, sidelined with a shoulder injury, that leaves Isaiah Kacyvenski as the starter on the strong side.

Brown played in 14 games last season, recording 86 tackles, seven sacks and one interception.

"It's tough," Kacyvenski said. "He really worked his butt off. We're missing a leader out there."