Tag Archives: Kenneth Walker

#LARvsSEA, Contracts, The roster

With Charbs out, will Hawks now need to overpay Walker?

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When the news emerged early this week that Zach Charbonnet had been lost to an ACL injury, the first thought was: Who will be Kenneth Walker’s backup in the NFC title game? But the more long-term question is: Will the Seahawks now feel pressured to pay Walker more than they might have wanted to?

The answer to the first question was resolved when the Seahawks let George Holani begin practicing. He went on IR with a hamstring injury after the Week 12 win over Tennessee, but he said he has been healthy for several weeks now. So expect him to step in for Charbs as Walker’s rotational running mate against the Rams on Sunday.

With that determined, let’s look ahead to the offseason for a minute and see what might happen with the Hawks’ running back room.

Continue reading With Charbs out, will Hawks now need to overpay Walker? →
#LARvsSEA, Playoffs

Bad news for Rams: Hawks are a more complete team now

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It will be Rams-Seahawks Part III for the Super Bowl — and it might end up like 49ers-Hawks Part III.

In Rams-Hawks Part I, Sam Darnold threw four picks and the Hawks lost by two points. In Part II, the defense got shredded and the Hawks had to rally from 16 down to win 38-37 in overtime. That’s a terrible performance on each side of the ball to make these tight games.

It will not be a surprise if Part III is not close – not 41-6, but maybe something like 34-17. Seattle’s offense and defense are not going to give the Rams anything, not like they did in the first two games. The Rams, who struggled to beat Carolina and Chicago, should see the best version of the Hawks, just as the 49ers did. If they do, the Rams might not have a chance.

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#SFvsSEA, Playoffs

Reaction to Seattle’s 41-6 demolition of the 49ers

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Dropping some notable Twitter posts after the big divisional playoff win over the 49ers on Saturday night …

The game

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#LARvsSEA

Macdonald on historic comeback: ‘Great teams figure out a way to win’

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Mike Macdonald knows he has a great football team because it can beat any team in any style of game.

And the Seahawks are so resilient that they can give up a franchise-record 581 yards, go minus-3 in turnover margin, trail by 16 midway through the fourth quarter and still rally to beat the “other best team” in the NFL with a two-point conversion in overtime.

That’s what the Hawks did to the Rams in a wild 38-37 comeback that (a) clinched a playoff spot, (b) gave the Hawks control of the No. 1 seed and (c) got the Big Game Monkey off Sam Darnold’s back.

Macdonald said he was “really, really proud” of his team for overcoming all of the negatives in the massive NFL battle royale.

“What a friggin’ football team you guys are,” he told his players afterward. “What a freaking football team, man! We’re the freaking Seahawks! Let’s go!”

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Contracts, The roster

JSN is earning a big payday — let’s look ahead to 2026

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With every passing week that he helps the Seahawks notch another win, Jaxon Smith-Njigba makes himself a lot more money.

He had perhaps his best game of the season in a 30-24 win over Tennessee in Week 12, catching eight passes for a season-best 167 yards and scoring twice, including a season-long 63-yarder.

JSN set the franchise record for receiving yards in just the 11th game. His 1,313 yards are 10 more than DK Metcalf had in 16 games in 2020. JSN is on pace for 2,029 yards, which would break Calvin Johnson’s record of 1,964 from 2012 (in 16 games). JSN is just 0.4 yards per game behind Johnson’s pace through 12 weeks.

With JSN eligible for a contract extension after this season, it is time to start looking at what he will cost — and how it all fits with the rest of the roster.

Continue reading JSN is earning a big payday — let’s look ahead to 2026 →
Trades

Hawks ‘in the market’ for O-line help — what about Saints’ Ruiz?

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With the trade deadline days away, moves are being made and chatter is picking up – so let’s connect some possible dots around the Seahawks.

One of the big ones that emerged today was Saints guard Cesar Ruiz to Seattle – a move that conceivably would help the Hawks at right guard.

The Seahawks are “in the market” for an offensive lineman, per Jordan Schultz. And ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported: “Teams I’ve spoken to are under the impression that guard Cesar Ruiz might be available at the right price.”

Scuttlebutt is that “the right price” would be a third-round pick. That surely is too steep for John Schneider, but what if it came down to a 5 or 6 by next Tuesday’s deadline? Or what if it was a pick swap – maybe the Hawks give up a 3 and get back a 5? Ruiz is signed for two more years, so they would have a chance to get value out of such a deal.

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The roster, Trades

The promising future of the Hawks this year and beyond

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As the Seahawks take a week off to rest, self-evaluate and prepare for the final 10 games, they are in great position – both for this season and beyond.

At 5-2, they are one of seven NFC teams with a winning percentage over .700 – and right where we thought they would be, positioned for a second-half run into the playoffs.

By DVOA, they actually are rated the best team in the league – thanks to the top-ranked special teams and the No. 2 defense. Their net point differential (plus-57) is fifth.

The Hawks are blowing away Vegas projections, which had the Hawks finishing with seven or eight wins (a 7.5 over/under). We had predicted at least 11 wins. Well, this team is on a pace for 12. Looking at the rest of the schedule, the Hawks look capable of a 7-3 finish – thus a 12-5 record for the season.

This is clearly a playoff team. The bigger question: What happens once the playoffs arrive? Do the Hawks have what it takes to go all the way?

Let’s look at what they have and what they might need to make a Super Bowl run this year and beyond.

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#HOUvsSEA, X's & O's

Hawks are winning with play action, not giving up on run game

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“We need to improve on our run game. It’s pretty cut and dry.” – Mike Macdonald

The Seahawks have the NFL’s No. 5 scoring offense (27.7 ppg), the No. 10 offense by EPA and the No. 4 offense by DVOA – all without any consistent running attack.

There are two schools of thought about the Seahawks’ struggling running game – and both have their merits.

The first is what Mike Macdonald said on his radio show Monday: The running game is not good enough. The second is that the threat of the running game via play action has enabled the passing game to thrive and it’s a fair sacrifice to make.

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#SEAvsARI

Because the good outweighed the bad & ugly, the Hawks are 3-1

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The Seahawks should have beaten Arizona by two touchdowns on Thursday. Instead, they needed Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and more special teams magic to win 23-20 on the final play and get to 3-1 this season.

That gave the Hawks a pair of crazy 8s: Eight straight wins over Arizona and eight straight road wins.

The Hawks would have won long before the last play — if Tyrice Knight had not knocked the ball loose on Coby Bryant’s interception return, if Kenneth Walker III had not thrown a football at a Cardinal for a 15-yard taunting penalty, if Riq Woolen had not committed three penalties, if the offensive line could have asserted itself for a game-sealing four-minute drill.

Continue reading Because the good outweighed the bad & ugly, the Hawks are 3-1 →
On the air, Preseason, The roster

Charbonnet should start over Walker

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The Seahawks have been plowing through the preseason, ramping up a running game that they plan to make the focal point of their offense in 2025. And it is looking more and more like the guy leading that ground attack – at least in the season opener vs. the 49ers — should and probably will be Zach Charbonnet.

Mike Macdonald seems frustrated that Kenneth Walker III (sore foot) has not been available, and he seemed to drop a huge hint that Charbs is probably the Week 1 starter when he said of Walker: “At some point, you’ve gotta do it on the field so you feel confident to go out there and execute at a high level and play your best football. So that’s something that we’re working through. He’s doing the best he can, and we’re doing the best we can as a coaching staff. We’ve just gotta work together on this thing as it unfolds.”

The way it is unfolding is for Charbonnet to be the main ballcarrier and Walker to potentially be the changeup – a home run back on a snap count.

Continue reading Charbonnet should start over Walker →