RENTON, Wash. (AP) - With the return of Chester Pitts and Russell Okung to practice this week, the Seattle Seahawks offensive line is moving closer to having the lineup expected at the start of the season.

It just happens to be coming in Week 4.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday that Pitts and Okung will be a go in practice this week, the first major test as both come back from significant injuries.

"It's just going to take them one day at a time and see how they look and how they endure what happens during practice, how they feel next day," Carroll said.

Pitts is still trying to get fully healthy after having microfracture knee surgery in the offseason. Okung, the No. 6 pick in the April draft and Seattle's replacement for Walter Jones at left tackle, has been slowed by a high ankle sprain suffered in Seattle's second exhibition game.

As Carroll pointed out on Wednesday, thanks to contract negotiations that cost Okung the first week of training camp, Seattle's $58 million investment has just a handful of practices so far. Offensive line coach Art Valero described Okung on Wednesday as "rusty" after practice.

"Russell has practiced five times with us. And all these months that have passed by without him, maybe seven, eight weeks maybe, that is a lot of time missed," Carroll said. "No matter how hard you study the timing of it and the physical sense of working with your guys next to you and passing things off and there is so much to be accomplished, he's in a far different situation."

As has been the case with Seattle's linemen, all declined to talk on Wednesday.

Without the two expected starters, Seattle's makeshift offensive line has done a solid job through the first three weeks of keeping Matt Hasselbeck protected in the pass game, but is struggling to get a run game established.

Tyler Polumbus arrived from Detroit less than two weeks before the season opener against San Francisco and for the most part has gone unnoticed starting at left tackle. With Okung just in the beginning stages of practicing again, it's likely Polumbus will start against St. Louis, although Carroll said those decisions might not come until Saturday.

The combo of Mike Gibson - who was released on Tuesday - and Ben Hamilton started the first three games at left guard. Hamilton did not participate in practice on Wednesday with a knee injury.

Seattle has allowed just five sacks in the first three games, but is managing only 84.7 yards per game on the ground.

"I'm most excited about the potential of this improving up front. Without question we should be able to get better and that's hugely important to us," Carroll said. "We haven't run the ball the way we want to yet, we pass-protected fine as we talked about, but we have a chance with Russell getting back in there, he's our number one pick, and he looked great in all of the work that he had, so we're really excited about him coming back when he's ready."

Pitts started 114 games for Houston, first as a left tackle and then in 2006 as a left guard. A second-round pick for the Texans in 2002, Pitts came to Seattle to rejoin former Houston line coach Alex Gibbs before Gibbs suddenly retired prior to the start of the season.

Pitts missed the final 14 weeks of last season after having surgery on his right knee. While Carroll might not make a decision on how much either plays until Saturday, just having the duo out there helps with continuity moving forward.

"It's good to have Russell back and practicing today and same thing with Chester. Having those two back, they've been here, but they've missed a lot of playing time and there is a lot of catching up to do," Valero said.