SEATTLE -- Before Thursday night's game against the Minnesota Vikings, Seattle Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls was in full uniform on the field warming up with his teammates.

Rawls did not play in the game, but the team continues to be encouraged by his progress after having offseason ankle surgery.

"He's going to practice full-go next week, and we'll just see what that means," head coach Pete Carroll said. "No deadlines, no pressure on making a decision. We're just going to go with him and see how it goes. By late in the week, we'll make a determination of where he is, and we'll go to the next week if we have to."

The Seahawks' next preseason game is Thursday at home against the Dallas Cowboys. They close out the preseason the following Thursday in Oakland.

Rawls began training camp on the physically unable to perform list but was activated on Aug. 7. This week, he began to participate in team drills for the first time.

"He looks very good," Carroll said. "He's making great progress. He looks explosive and tough and all of that. With a regular week of work, maybe we'll think about what that means. Maybe he plays, maybe he doesn't."

Though the Seahawks probably prefer to have Rawls see some action in the preseason, they have maintained all along that they are not going to rush him. The goal has been to get Rawls ready for Week 1 of the regular season, and at this point, barring a setback, he'll be the starter against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 11.