Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll could lose a running back for Week 1.
The Seattle Seahawks are anxious to see which rookies in the 2022 NFL Draft class could break out this season. Unfortunately, one of those early draft picks is in danger of missing the team’s Week 1 opener against the Denver Broncos.
According to ESPN’s Brady Henderson, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll revealed that rookie running back Kenneth Walker III is dealing with a hernia, and he’s not sure what that means for the playmaker’s availability going forward.
Seahawks RB Ken Walker III did not practice today. Pete Carroll said, “Ken has a little hernia that he’s working on and we’ve got to get him through that. So I don’t know what to tell you yet, but it’s something that we can address and all that…”.
Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) Aug. 16, 2022
Henderson also added that Carroll hopes the team’s medical staff can have Walker ready for the season opener. However, given Carroll’s comments about Walker’s injury, that doesn’t appear to be a guarantee at this time.
The Seahawks will have to lean more on Rashaad Penny out of the backfield, especially now that the team is without Chris Carson, who was forced to retire due to a neck injury.
Kenneth Walker’s absence is a big blow for Seattle.
Although he has yet to play an official kick in the NFL, Seahawks fans have been anxious to see what the rookie running back can bring to the table.
Walker was just a 3-star recruit coming out of high school in Arlington, Tenn. He played the first two years of his college career for Wake Forest Demon Deacons, rushing for 1,158 yards and 17 touchdowns in that span.
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It wasn’t until Walker transferred to Michigan State prior to the 2021 season that he really burst onto the national scene. In 12 games, Walker rushed for an impressive 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. He was named a unanimous All-American, as well as a Doak Walker and Walter Camp Award winner.
Thanks to his great vision and explosiveness, Walker was selected by the Seahawks early in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Although he was only with the team for a few months, he had already earned enough trust from the coaching staff that they planned to use him in a major role to start the year.
Unfortunately, it is now unclear if Walker will be able to play in Week 1.
How are the Seahawks’ other rookies progressing?
Two of Seattle’s top draft picks were on the offensive line, taking Charles Cross ninth overall and then in-state prospect Abraham Lucas in the third round. NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger highlighted both rookies in their preseason debut and said they played well against the Steelers.
Second-round quarterback Boye Mafe had one of the standout plays of the first preseason game. Lined up over left tackle, Mafe had an excellent pass rush to elude the offensive lineman and get to Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph for the catch.
Other rookies still have plenty of time to excel, including the team’s two new corners, Coby Bryand and Tariq Woolen. If the Seahawks can even get some of these rookies to start producing early on, then the Seahawks could have a formidable team for years to come once they figure out the long-term plan for the quarterback position.
