Kenny Walker, Zach Charbonnet out indefinitely. This is why Seahawks never have enough RBs
This is why the Seahawks drafted two more running backs despite having a 1,000-yard rusher returning.
This is why they can never have enough of them.
Lead back Kenneth Walker remains out with a groin injury he got after practicing the first day of training camp Wednesday. Walker, who last season joined Curt Warner as the only Seattle rookies to rush for 1,000 yards, missed his third consecutive practice on Sunday.
“He’s got a groin thing that kind of bothered him getting into camp here, so we are just keeping him quiet a bit,” coach Pete Carroll said on the fourth day of camp Sunday.
Asked if Walker’s injury is a concern at the sport’s most-injured position with its shortest career length, the coach said: “He’s not practicing, so I’m liking that. I’m concerned about that.”
Carroll said Walker isn’t in a ton of pain, but that the team wants to keep him out so the groin muscle can heal for the season.
On top of that, rookie running back Zach Charbonnet missed his second conseuctive practice and was seeing doctors for tests on an injured shoulder. The Seahawks selected Charbonnet in the second round of the NFL draft in May to share some of Walker’s rushing load and preserve Walker getting hurt with extensive use this season.
Now, four days into training camp and with the team yet to be in full pads, both Walker and Charbonnet are hurt.
“Zach, he’s got a little shoulder thing that we are checking out right now. Going to take some time to figure it out,” Carroll said.
“We’d love to have those guys. We’d love to have them back out here. But they are not ready.”
Veteran DeeJay Dallas and rookie seventh-round pick Kenny McIntosh split carries with the starting offense Sunday. McIntosh, who has looked quick after losing 10 pounds since spring practices, had two long runs sprinting past defenders in 11-on-11 scrimmaging.
Carroll said Charbonnet “all of a sudden started to feel something” after practicing the first two days of camp this past week.
“We are being cautious right now.”
Their injuries leave Dallas, McIntosh, second-year free agent Bryant Koback and undrafted rookie Wayne Taulapapa as the only running backs in Seattle’s camp.
Those four have played a combined 44 career regular-season games in the NFL. All 44 of those games are Dallas’. He’s been the Seahawks’ third-down back and special-teams mainstay the last three seasons.
Carroll said this is “a very important week or two” for McIntosh to seize the opportunity. That suggests Walker and Charbonnet are going to be out at least into next week, and perhaps toward the first preseason game for Seattle Aug. 10 against Minnesota at Lumen Field.
The team signed Taulapapa, the leading rusher for the University of Washington, late last week after Walker reported his groin pain.
Then Charbonnet got hurt.
This story was originally published July 30, 2023 at 4:23 PM.
