The Seattle Seahawks have the look of a run-first team in the coming season, but head coach Mike Macdonald had a worrying update on the team’s top running back.
Kenneth Walker III did not appear in the team’s second preseason game, a win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday night. Walker has missed practice with a foot injury, and Macdonald made it clear that he hasn’t made enough progress to see the field.
Kenneth Walker Continues to Hurt
When asked after the game whether Walker was still dealing with the foot injury that left him out of practice, Macdonald had a terse response.
“Yes,” the Seahawks coach said, via Kole Musgrove of USA Today’s Seahawks Wire.
Though Macdonald did not elaborate, Musgrove saw it as a bad sign for Walker’s future.
“The brief nature of his response is a little concerning, as it leads me to think Walker’s foot injury is potentially a more nagging concern than we may have initially thought,” Musgrove wrote. “Walker has dealt with injuries every year of his career, especially in 2024 which cost him six games of the campaign.”
The Seahawks got some good production out of their other running backs in Friday’s win, Musgrove added.
“Leading the way were Damien Martinez (11 rushes, 50 yards one touchdown), George Holani (five rushes, 49 yards), Jacardia Wright (nine rushes, 48 yards), and Zach Charbonnet (five rushes, 45 yards and one touchdown),” Musgrove wrote.
The Seahawks are expected to take a run-heavy approach after some major changes in the offseason. The team parted ways with receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett while trading quarterback Geno Smith. The Seahawks replaced him with veteran Sam Darnold, who is looking to follow up his breakout season with the Minnesota Vikings.
The changes could put more pressure on Walker to bounce back to his previous form.
Zach Charbonnet Headed to Bigger Role
With the concerns over Walker’s health carrying over from last season, some analysts believe backup Zach Charbonnet will step into a bigger role. ESPN’s Brady Henderson noted that Charbonnet’s strong performance against the Chiefs could be a sign of things to come this season.
Charbonnet’s durability could be a big advantage in the coming season, Henderson wrote.
“Walker has missed extensive chunks of time in the spring and summer after missing 11 games last year, and it’s enough to wonder not only about his availability but how crisp he’ll be in a new blocking scheme when he is on the field,” Henderson wrote. “The ever-reliable Charbonnet, meanwhile, hasn’t missed a day, and his production has been validating all the glowing praise he gets from teammates and coaches.”
Henderson suggested the Seahawks could have more of an even split of carries between Walker and Charbonnet in the coming season.
Charbonnet had a strong season in 2024, rushing 135 times for 569 yards and eight touchdowns. Walker, who topped 1,000 yards in his rookie season and finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year to New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson, had 153 carries for 573 yards and seven touchdowns in the injury-shortened campaign.
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