Seahawks RB Walker, RT Fant uncertain vs. Pats

RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks have listed working again Kenneth Walker III and proper sort out George Fant as uncertain for Sunday’s highway sport towards the New England Patriots, presenting a problem for his or her offense in Seattle’s quest to enhance to 2-0 below new coach Mike Macdonald.

The Seahawks will even be with out outdoors linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (knee), arguably their high defensive participant, in addition to backup tight finish Pharaoh Brown (foot). The group lists beginning inside linebackers Tyrel Dodson (shoulder) and Jerome Baker (hamstring) as questionable, although Baker practiced all week in restricted capability and Dodson progressed to a full participant on Friday.

Walker went down in apparent ache on the finish of a carry within the fourth quarter of the Seahawks’ season-opening win over the Denver Broncos. He instantly pointed to his facet and didn’t return. It was first introduced as stomach ache, although he has since been listed as having an indirect damage.

Fant, who’s filling in at proper sort out whereas Abe Lucas stays on the bodily unable to carry out checklist, harm his knee 13 performs into the sport. He wanted to be helped off the sphere and was shortly dominated out.

Requested about his damage postgame, Walker advised reporters, “I am good.” Macdonald additionally mentioned postgame that the group was optimistic that Walker was OK, however neither he nor Fant practiced this week.

“He feels good,” Macdonald mentioned of Walker on Friday. “He is getting higher, however proper now it is uncertain and we’ll go from there.”

Walker missed two video games final yr and most of a 3rd, additionally with an indirect damage. Requested about his probabilities of taking part in Sunday, Macdonald solely mentioned, “Uncertain.” He additionally saved issues near vest when requested whether or not Fant’s or Walker’s accidents could possibly be critical, saying, “We’re simply going to form of let it play out proper now.”

With Walker uncertain, Zach Charbonnet is in line to begin. The second-year working again caught a 30-yard landing go from Geno Smith early within the fourth quarter towards Denver however gained solely 12 yards on eight carries.

A second-round choose final yr out of UCLA, Charbonnet made two begins for Walker as a rookie, totaling 157 yards and a landing on 38 touches in these video games.

“A number of the identical talent units,” offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb mentioned of Charbonnet compared to Walker. “He is a wonderful receiver out of the backfield, he is a really, very succesful go protector and clearly a really highly effective runner, so I do not assume there’s something within the sport plan that might change if Ken was unavailable.”

Kenny McIntosh is the Seahawks’ third working again. In addition they have rookie George Holani on their follow squad.

Stone Forsythe changed Fant within the opener and completed with a go block win charge of 54.5% (six go block wins and 5 losses), the bottom amongst 64 qualifying offensive tackles in Week 1. He was additionally flagged for a false begin.

Nevertheless, Seattle’s offensive line improved within the second half, permitting stress on solely 23% of Smith’s dropbacks with zero sacks after the quarterback was pressured on 47% of his dropbacks and sacked twice within the first half.

“He did a strong job,” Macdonald mentioned of Forsythe, a fourth-year veteran. “We ended up successful the soccer sport. There is a couple go rushes he gave up on the sting, and we’ll get these cleaned up. However he got here in, we ended up successful the sport, so successful soccer for us.”