Predicting which Seahawks rookies will have the greatest impact

Number 2: Seahawks running back Ken Walker

Chris Carson, even if he is able to play in 2022, cannot be counted on to play anywhere near a full season. He never has so why suddenly would he be able to now? Plus, with his neck injury, he is a week-to-week decision every week of every year for the rest of his career.

Presumed 2022 starter Rashaad Penny doesn’t have the dire neck injury that Carson does but he also hasn’t shown the ability to be healthy anywhere close to each week. Penny appears to have needed Adrian Peterson to come to Seattle to talk Penny into how to play hurt. Peterson arrived midway through 2021 and this was just about the time when Penny started playing every week and was great when he did.

So enter Walker. He didn’t miss a game in his three seasons in college even after transferring from Wake Forest (who stupidly used him) to Michigan State. At MSU in 2021, Walker was a beast. And he was good in big games as well. Against Michigan, he ran for 197 yards and 5 touchdowns in a 37-33 victory for the Spartans. Basically, Walker isn’t afraid of being special in important games.

Walker does need to make sure he learns how to pass block in the NFL as this is an extremely underrated quality in an NFL running back. It also remains to be seen how good Walker can be catching passes out of the backfield. If he can master these two things, he should be the starter midway through 2022.