Seahawks place Kenneth Walker III on IR, add RB to active roster
Dec 26, 2024, 4:00 PM | Updated: 8:20 pm
Kenneth Walker III of the Seattle Seahawks is tackled during a 2024 game. (Christopher Mast/Getty Images)
(Christopher Mast/Getty Images)
The Seattle Seahawks will be without their leading rusher during the final weeks of their playoff push.
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The Seahawks placed running back Kenneth Walker III on injured reserve with an ankle injury Thursday ahead of their primetime game against the Chicago Bears. Walker had already been ruled out for Thursday’s game. Being placed on IR means Walker will miss at least the next four weeks.
Seattle signed rookie running back George Holani off the practice squad to replace Walker on the 53-man roster.
Walker has dealt with injuries throughout the season. He missed two games with an oblique injury in September and missed two more this month with the ankle injury before making his return in last week’s 27-24 loss to Minnesota. Walker has 573 yards and seven touchdowns rushing and 299 yards and one TD receiving this season.
With Walker set to miss the final two games of the regular season and potentially two playoff games, second-year pro Zach Charbonnet will serve as Seattle’s lead back. The UCLA product has rushed for 453 yards and a team-high eight TD this season, including a career-best 134 yards with two TDs in the Seahawks’ Dec. 8 win over Arizona.
Holani, who went undrafted out of Boise State, figures to serve as Seattle’s No. 3 running back behind Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh. Holani has been elevated from the practice squad three times this season and has 10 yards on three carries.
The Seahawks rank 30th in the NFL in rushing yards per game (90.1) and 23rd in yards per carry (4.1).
Seattle enters Thursday night’s game in second place in the NFC West at 8-7, one game behind the first-place Los Angeles Rams.
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