RENTON — Through the first four games of his NFL career, Kenneth Walker III’s stat line reads like really good day — 23 carries for 146 yards, with a 69-yard TD run, and 6.3 yards per carry.
Walker will get the chance to make that a stat line for an entire game as he is expected to get his first NFL start Sunday against Arizona in place of the injured Rashaad Penny, who is out for the season after suffering an ankle injury against New Orleans.
“It’s hard to see someone like that go down when you’ve seen how hard he works and what he’s gone through in the past,’’ said Walker, who said the two had begun to grow close since Walker arrived as a second-round pick last April.
Penny talked to Walker on Sunday on the sidelines briefly as the reality of the severity of his injury began to creep in, a conversation that served as something of a passing of the torch.
“I feel like that shows the person that Penny is,’’ Walker said. “He’s still trying to help me out when he’s going through what he’s going through. He’s always been supportive of me since I’ve been here and that means a lot to me.’’
Still, that doesn’t mean he won’t feel a few nerves as kickoff nears Sunday.
That’s because, he said, he always feels a few butterflies on gameday.
“Since I was younger growing up, I’ve always been nervous with football,’’ Walker said.
He felt that most acutely in the first game he played, in the second game of the year against the 49ers, after he’d sat out the final two preseason games and the first regular-season game following hernia surgery.
The nerves may have helped contribute to Walker running the wrong way on a play. He did so again the following week against Atlanta, resulting in a loss that helped kill a drive, with Seahawks coach Pete Carroll saying, “He was a little jittery today because he is so excited and he is so competitive.’’
Walker has been steadier the past two weeks, and says he feels past the jitteriness now.
“I seen what he said, but I’ve felt comfortable since the first game,’’ Walker said.
He looked it last week when he ripped off the aforementioned 69-yard TD run with 6:54 left to give the Seahawks a 32-31 lead.
“Like a dream,’’ Walker said of his first NFL TD. “Would have been cool to get a first touchdown run anywhere, but I feel like a long touchdown run is pretty cool.’’
As Carroll indicated Friday, this was why the Seahawks drafted Walker where they did — with the 41st overall pick and the second running back selected.
The Seahawks hoped Penny could stay healthy for all 17 games. But they’ve seen the best-laid plans at running back go up in smoke all too often in recent years and wanted to be as well covered as they could be.
Walker, they felt, was about as sure of a thing as there was after his 2021 season at Michigan State when he carried 263 times for 1,636 yards.
“It doesn’t look like his outlook has shifted at all,’’ Carroll said. “He’s been the lead back for years back at school. This is what he wants. He’s looking forward to being able to do this. So he’s pumped up about it.’’
Al Woods, Gabe Jackson doubtful
The Seahawks could be without two starting linemen — defensive tackle Al Woods and guard Gabe Jackson — against the Cardinals.
Woods suffered a knee injury late in the third quarter against the Saints and did not practice all week. Carroll said Woods was able to do some pre-practice work trying to get ready indicating it’s not a long-term concern. Jackson is listed with knee and hip injuries and also did not practice all week.
Phil Haynes will fill in for Jackson at right guard if needed, while Bryan Mone could start at nose tackle if Woods can’t go, or the Seahawks could alter their front and go with Poona Ford at nose and Shelby Harris and Quinton Jefferson at ends. Harris is also listed as questionable with a hip injury but was a full participant in practice Friday and Carroll indicated he should be able to play.
If the Seahawks need depth up front, they could activate L.J. Collier, who returned to practice off injured reserve last week from an elbow injury suffered in the final preseason game. They have an open spot on the 53-man roster after officially putting Penny on IR Friday.
Carroll said Collier is ready to play if needed.
“He practiced (Friday),’’ Carroll said. “He got through it, so that’s a really good sign that he can make it.’’
Regardless, the potential loss of Woods would be a tough one for a team that has allowed the most rushing yards in the NFL at 170.2 per game.
Notes
- Receiver Penny Hart (hamstring) was the only player the Seahawks listed as out.
- Safety Ryan Neal did not practice Friday because of an ankle issue, but he did not have a game status report and is expected to play.
- Receivers Dee Eskridge (illness) and Marquise Goodwin (knee/back) were listed as questionable, but each was a full participant in practice Friday and Carroll said they should be available Sunday.
- Cornerback Artie Burns is listed as questionable with a groin injury suffered Thursday in practice. Carroll said it is different from the groin injury Burns suffered in training camp that held him out until he returned to play for the first time this season Sunday against the Saints.
- Receiver Tyler Lockett was listed as limited on Thursday because of a hamstring injury, but he was a full participant Friday and not on the injury report, and Carroll said he was mostly just being rested on Thursday.
- Carroll said veteran linebacker Bruce Irvin, signed on Wednesday to the practice squad, had a good week of practice but indicated he won’t play Sunday. “He did quite well,’’ Carroll said. “I was surprised by his workout (Tuesday) and then when he jumped out here with the fellas he did a nice job. It’s really quick to try to get him out here immediately but he looks like he could help us.’’