Seahawks Face Cardinals Without Star RB Kenneth Walker
The Seattle Seahawks are heading into a crucial NFC West matchup against the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday, but they’ll be doing so without their leading rusher, Kenneth Walker. The team officially ruled Walker out on Saturday due to a calf injury, a significant blow as they look to maintain their slim lead in the division.
Walker was initially listed as questionable earlier in the week, dealing with both calf and ankle injuries that kept him off the practice field on Thursday and Friday. However, the Seahawks downgraded him to out on Saturday, citing only the calf injury as the reason. This development leaves Seattle’s backfield in the hands of rookie Zach Charbonnet, who has already stepped up twice this season when Walker was sidelined with an oblique injury. Charbonnet will once again take over as the team’s lead back.
Depth Moves: Holani and Zentner Elevated
To bolster their depth, the Seahawks elevated running back George Holani from the practice squad. Holani, an undrafted rookie out of Boise State, will provide additional support behind Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh. Holani also brings versatility to the table, as he has experience returning punts from his college days. This could prove valuable given Seattle’s recent shakeup in the return game.
In addition to Holani, the Seahawks elevated backup punter Ty Zentner from the practice squad. Zentner was signed on Friday as insurance for Michael Dickson, who is dealing with a back injury. Dickson’s availability remains uncertain after he was unable to punt late in last week’s win over the New York Jets. Head coach Mike Macdonald expressed optimism about Dickson’s chances of playing but acknowledged that Zentner is a contingency plan in case Dickson’s back flares up again.
Walker’s Injury: A Late Development
Walker’s absence is particularly surprising given that he handled his usual workload against the Jets last week. He appeared on the injury report on Wednesday as limited, but Macdonald admitted that the injury may have developed after the game. “To my knowledge, he got out of the game fine,” Macdonald said. “Some of these things, they pop up later. It gets kind of funky, so to my knowledge, I don’t think he was limited as the game wore on.”
Return Game in Flux
The Seahawks have also been busy addressing their return game after a disastrous performance against the Jets, where both Laviska Shenault Jr. and Dee Williams lost fumbles on kickoff returns. Both players were waived this week, and Seattle claimed return specialist Jaelon Darden off waivers from the Cleveland Browns. Darden has primarily returned punts in his career, but the Seahawks are keeping their options open.
Macdonald mentioned that wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba could return punts, while Charbonnet might handle kickoff duties. Other potential options include McIntosh and wide receiver Cody White, both of whom have experience returning kickoffs. “I just can’t give you an answer right now because there’s things that we don’t know right now,” Macdonald said. “We’re trying to figure that out, but we’ve worked it, guys have practiced it. We’ve got a good plan, just not sure on who’s going to be out there right now based off of who’s available and all those things.”
Playoff Implications
At 7-5, the Seahawks are clinging to a one-game lead in the NFC West. According to ESPN Analytics, they have a 38% chance to win the division heading into Sunday’s game. A win over the Cardinals (6-6) would boost that probability to 63%, while a loss would drop it to just 20%. With so much on the line, the absence of Walker looms large as Seattle looks to keep its playoff hopes alive.
Key Takeaways
- Kenneth Walker is officially out for Sunday’s game due to a calf injury.
- Zach Charbonnet will step in as the lead back, with George Holani providing depth.
- Seattle’s return game remains unsettled after recent roster moves.
- The Seahawks’ playoff chances hinge on this critical NFC West showdown.
As the Seahawks prepare for this pivotal matchup, all eyes will be on how the team adjusts without their star running back and whether their revamped return game can avoid costly mistakes. With the division race tightening, every play will matter on Sunday.
Originally Written by: Brady Henderson
