RENTON — The Seahawks’ running back situation for Saturday’s game at Kansas City, which looms critical for Seattle’s playoff hopes, remained uncertain on Wednesday with rookie Kenneth Walker III missing a second straight day of practice with a sore ankle.
Unlike on Tuesday, though, when Walker wasn’t seen on the field during the time media are allowed to view practice, Walker was in a jersey and tossing footballs to teammates during early warmups. However, he was then listed as not participating in practice.
The Seahawks could just be resting him, but coach Pete Carroll said on Tuesday before practice that “we will see how this week goes. We have to give him every day to get back’’ to being able to play against the Chiefs.
In better news, DeeJay Dallas — who has missed the last two games with a high ankle sprain — was listed as practicing on a limited basis.
And in what could maybe be seen as a sign that the Seahawks are confident that they’ll be OK at running back, Seattle on Wednesday waived reserve running Tony Jones Jr. to make room for the signing of free agent defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon.
Jones, who was claimed off waivers from the Saints in October, appeared in four games with 16 yards on eight carries, including 14 on seven carries in a win in Los Angeles against the Rams on Dec. 4.
The waiving of Jones leaves the Seahawks with just three running backs on their 53-man roster in Walker, Dallas and Travis Homer.
However, the Seahawks also have three running backs on their practice squad in Godwin Igwebuike, Wayne Gallman Jr., and Darwin Thompson. Igwebuike figures to again be elevated off the practice squad to handle kickoff returns.
Walker, a second-round pick last April out of Michigan State, is Seattle’s leading rusher with 696 yards, having started eight games in place of the injured Rashaad Penny. Walker suffered an ankle injury in the second quarter of a 27-23 win over the Rams on Dec. 4 and missed a home loss to Carolina on Dec. 11 before returning to start against the 49ers with 47 yards on 12 carries.
Homer started in place of Walker against Carolina and likely would again if Walker can’t go.
Seahawks add DT Nixon for depth
The Seahawks signed Nixon to add depth to a defensive front that has been hit by injuries the last few weeks, with Bryan Mone suffering a season-ending knee injury against the 49ers and Al Woods having missed the 49ers game with an Achilles injury. Woods’ status for this week remains uncertain as he was again listed as not practicing on Wednesday.
Listed at 6-3, 305 pounds, Nixon was a fifth-round pick by Carolina in 2021 out of Iowa and played in 14 games for the Panthers over the past two seasons including seven this year — though not against Seattle — before being waived on Dec. 13.
Nixon had five tackles this year in 62 snaps. According to Pro Football Reference he saw 34 of his snaps on running plays and 28 on pass plays.
Amadi now a Chief
Among the 16 players on Kansas City’s practice squad is Ugo Amadi, a 2019 fourth-round draft pick of the Seahawks who began the year competing for Seattle’s nickel back spot and is now on his fourth team of the season.
After it became apparent he was not going to retain the nickel corner with the emergence of rookie Coby Bryant, Amadi was traded on Aug. 15 to the Eagles for receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside, who never played in a game for the Seahawks and is no longer on the roster.
Amadi was then traded by the Eagles to the Titans nine days later with a seventh-round pick in 2024 for a 2024 sixth-round pick.
After playing in two games with Tennessee he was waived in October and then signed to the Chiefs’ practice squad.
He was elevated to the practice squad for one game in November against Jacksonville, getting nine snaps on special teams, but has not played since.
Amadi split time at nickel last season with Marquise Blair — who was a second-round pick in 2019 — until Blair suffered a knee injury in October.
Like Amadi, Blair entered Seahawks camp this year with high hopes of gaining a starting job. But like Amadi, he saw his Seattle career end during camp, waived at the cutdown to 53.
Blair later signed with Carolina’s practice squad and saw action in three games, though almost solely on special teams, before being released. Blair then signed with the Eagles’ practice squad in November but was released earlier this month and is not currently on an NFL roster.
Notes
— Along with Walker and Woods, also sitting out practice Wednesday were: WR Tyler Lockett (hand), TE Noah Fant (knee), S Ryan Neal (knee) and LB Bruce Irvin (knee/heal). Irvin had been listed as a full participant on Tuesday while the others all sat out for a second straight day. Three others were listed as limited: Dallas, LB Jordyn Brooks (neck) and WR Marquise Goodwin (wrist/ankle). LB Darrell Taylor, who sat out Tuesday with an illness, was listed as a full participant.