Top three players that have stood out at Seahawks camp so far

Seahawks running back Ken Walker

This guy is going to be a star. He has been compared in training camp to “a smaller Chris Carson” and LaDainian Tomlinson. Rookie running backs, while they can be productive – Heck, running backs in the NFL tend to get worn out about five years into their careers nowadays but they can be great early on – they also might struggle with pass protection.

But in training camp, Walker has not only shown he can catch passes, something he wasn’t asked to do much in college, but appears to be picking up the blocking scheme as well. Many times, running backs are the last person to keep an edge rusher from chasing down their quarterback and if a running back can’t block, they probably aren’t going to be three-down backs.

But coach Carroll said this week

"…he’s blocking, again, I think I mentioned it the other day, but his pass-protection stuff, he just turned the page. I mean he was not very good in college as a pass protector, and we didn’t know. But (running back coach) Chad’s (Morton) done a great job with him and (assistant running backs coach) Amanda (Ruller), they’ve worked really hard with him, so it’s important."

Seattle will basically, assuming all players stay healthy, have a two-back rotation in 2022. Rashaad Penny is the assumed starter with Walker getting the second most reps. But Penny has a long history of getting hurt and 12s shouldn’t expect this season to be his first to miss very few games.

But even if Penny is healthy, Walker is already pushing him for starter reps. Plus, Penny is on a one-year deal and Walker will be around for at least four. Walker is the future of the Seahawks running game and that future might start sooner than later.