Seahawks drafting RB Kenneth Walker in round 2 a sign Chris Carson’s return is in doubt
What does the Seahawks drafting a game-breaking running back early in the second round suggest about Chris Carson’s return from neck surgery?
Ominous signs.
“We don’t have updates yet on Chris,” coach Pete Carroll said Friday night, after Seattle selected running back Kenneth Walker from Michigan State with the 41st-overall choice in the 2022 NFL draft.
“We won’t know for some time here (with Carson), and we can’t predict it yet,” Carroll said. “So there is a little bit of uncertainty that we are waiting on.
“With the commitment that we have in the run game, we want that group of guys really raring up to get this thing going. It felt like a good move, it’s going to make it very competitive...it’s going to be the theme throughout camp.”
Carson being ready for training camp, which begins in late July, is far from certain.
He had cervical surgery in November to fix a painful issue in a vertebrae in his neck. At that time, Carroll said the surgery would allow their 27-year-old leading rusher to return to play for the Seahawks in 2022.
Since then, Carroll has backtracked. At last month’s scouting combine, the coach said the team believed Carson will be able to return sometime this summer, but that he and the Seahawks will have to see.
Friday, Carroll was asked if Carson needed to see more doctors.
“He’s going through a process here, the evaluation,” the coach said. “There’s still more information to be dealt with and understood and translated for us.
“We haven’t heard any updates to help you with him right now, unfortunately.”
That doesn’t sound great.
That’s why the Seahawks drafted Walker, their third pick in the first 41 selections of this draft. They did it while needing help at cornerback, more edge rushers (after drafting Boye Mafe from Minnesota earlier in round two Friday), more linebackers, offensive linemen — plus an answer for 2023 and beyond at the sport’s most important position, quarterback. That is, potentially beyond Drew Lock or Geno Smith replacing traded Russell Wilson.
Skipping quarterbacks
Lock and Smith are signed only through 2022.
Yet it’s obvious through two days of this three-day draft the Seahawks don’t think much of this class of quarterbacks. Only one was taken in the first 73 picks deep into round three. That was Kenny Pickett from the University of Pittsburgh to the Steelers at 20, the latest first QB taken since 1997.
Carroll and general manager John Schneider have decided against trying Desmond Ridder of Cincinnati (selected by Atlanta in the third round, two spots after Seattle drafted Washington State offensive tackle Abraham Lucas) or Malik Willis of Liberty (drafted by Tennessee in round three) as a competitor this year with Lock and Smith to replace Wilson in Seattle.
The Seahawks may get their quarterback in rounds four through seven. But that would be for 2023 and beyond.
Running back is a more pressing Seahawks issue.
Carson’s neck surgery isn’t the only concern at that position. He is entering the final season of his contract. It is due to pay him $4.5 million with a salary-cap charge to the team of $6.1 million in 2022.
Seattle’s number-two back Rashaad Penny had four of the best games of his injury-filled, four-year career in the final five weeks of last season. But he re-signed this offseason for only one year.
For now, and later
Drafting Walker addresses the now and the future of the running-back position for the Seahawks.
The elusive, patient Walker broke out for Michigan State last fall. He romped for 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. The All-Big Ten back had 190 yards and five rushing touchdowns against Michigan. The rugged Wolverines allowed only six other rushing touchdowns the rest of the season.
The Seahawks have learned multiple times recently, including in the 2019 season when they lost Carson, Penny and C.J. Prosise to injuries, how important deep depth at running back is. The team had to bring back Marshawn Lynch out of semi-retirement on Christmas Eve 2019 and had him start a playoff game in Green Bay.
“Yeah, there is no doubt. It’s a volatile spot,” Carroll said. “Guys get banged up. And with the way we ask our guys to run we need rotations. We like playing multiple guys and we don’t have any problem with that, at all.
“I’ve said it to you a million times: I’m fine about going with who is hot, but also, we have to find a way to keep our guys healthy. That’s why the rotation is so important, so we don’t overwork them, particularly early in the year, so we can keep the good momentum building.”
This story was originally published April 30, 2022 at 12:26 AM with the headline "Seahawks drafting RB Kenneth Walker in round 2 a sign Chris Carson’s return is in doubt."
