Kenneth Walker has been recovering from a groin strain he suffered on the first day of training camp. The Seattle Seahawks star was sidelined for a while but on Wednesday, head coach Pete Carroll said that the running back has progressed to running at full speed in a straight line.
Walker is currently listed as questionable on the Seahawks injury report card. Although the 22-year-old is nearing a return to action, he will not play in the NFL preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, Aug.10, which begins at 10:00 p.m. ET.
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Will Kenneth Walker play in the preseason?
The Seattle Seahawks might not want to risk Walker in any of its three preseason games as he is still on the road to recovery. Fortunately, his groin injury isn't serious and it appears that the player should be able to get back to full fitness before the regular season begins.
Walker is one of the best running backs in Seattle and he is expected to play a pivotal role in the upcoming season.
With Walker unavailable, the Seahawks have a number of talented options they can field in their offensive backfield against Minnesota. The likes of Zach Charbonnet, DeeJay Dallas, Bryant Koback, SaRodorick Thompson, and Wayne Taulapapa are some of the names that could get a run in the Week 1 preseason game at Lumen Field.
Kenneth Walker's stats in the 2022 NFL season
Kenneth Walker had an exceptional debut season in the NFL last year. The Seattle Seahawks running back racked up an impressive 1,050 yards on 228 carries with nine touchdowns on the ground.
Walker helped the Seahawks qualify for the playoffs as they finished second in the NFC West with a 9-8 record. However, he didn't have a great postseason.
In the Wild Card game against the San Francisco 49ers, Walker managed a mere 63 rushing yards on 15 carries with one touchdown as Seattle suffered a 41-23 defeat.
Nonetheless, the Seahawks will rely heavily on Walker's offensive contributions if they plan to reach the playoffs in the upcoming season. This time around, Pete Carroll will be aiming for his team to make a deep run into the postseason.
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