RENTON
Just when his coach said Kenneth Walker has earned more chances to truly be the Seahawks’ lead back, that he was through job-sharing to maintain his health, they are managing him again.
Walker has a newly listed glute injury the Seahawks (7-3) put on their injury list for the first time Friday. The team says he is officially questionable to play Sunday when they play at the Tennessee Titans (1-9).
It’s the first time he’s been on an injury report in the 11 weeks of Seattle’s season.
“We’re just taking care of him (Friday). I’d say it’s precautionary, but you never know,” Macdonald said following practice Walker missed before the team flew to Tennessee Friday afternoon. “But I’d say it’s precautionary.
“He should be fine.”
Asked if the glute is a new issue for the fourth-year running back in the final season of his rookie contract, Macdonald said: “It’s just maintenance on stuff. He’s a little sore.
“But, he should be good (to play at Tennessee).”
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) evades the tackle of Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Kindle Vildor (22) during the first quarter of the game at Lumen Field, on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in Seattle. Brian Hayes bhayes@thenewstribune.com
Guard Grey Zabel (knee), middle linebacker Ernest Jones (knee) and fullback Robbie Ouzts (elbow) are also questionable.
The Seahawks’ and Tennessee Titans’ injury reports for their game in Nashville Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025.
Macdonald said he was surprised Zabel practiced at all this week, after how serious his knee injury looked with the big rookie down on the field late in the team’s loss at the Rams last weekend.
Magnetic resonance imaging tests Monday showed no structural damage.
“I mean, given what happened in the game, I am (surprised),” Macdonald said. “But you start to hear the results and see the tests…and who he is. I think we’re learning the type of guy he is.”
Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak on Thursday called the 6-foot-6, 315-pound Zabel “a little gangster” for his toughness practicing four days after the injury.
Christian Haynes will make his first career start at left guard Sunday if Zabel misses a game for the first time.
Ouzts was away from the team through practice Thursday for an undisclosed family matter. The team is trying to get him spun up on the game plan in short order to play Sunday. Macdonald said the elbow issue the Seahawks list for the rookie fullback is not an issue that will keep him from playing Sunday. It sounds like Ouzts will play at Tennessee.
Jones is still getting through the knee injury he got Nov. 2 at Washington, the coach said. His defensive signal caller missed one game, then returned to play last weekend against his former Rams with a brace over his right knee.
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV (13) walks out ahead of the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Lumen Field, on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Seattle. Brian Hayes bhayes@thenewstribune.com
Managing Kenneth Walker
Macdonald said Monday coming out of Walker slashing past Rams for 62 yards rushing and Zach Charbonnet slamming into those same defenders for just 37 in the Seahawks’ loss at Los Angeles last weekend that Walker deserves more than he’s been getting this season.
Charbonnet has played 49% of Seattle’s offensive snaps this season. Walker, the team’s lead back for his first three NFL seasons entering this one, has played 45%.
Walker has yet to play a full season since 2022 when Seattle with then-coach and top decision-maker Pete Carroll drafted him in the second round out of Michigan State. The following year the Seahawks drafted Charbonnet from UCLA in the second round.
Walker has played in all 10 games this season. He has 606 yards on 136 carries, an average of 4.5 yards per rush. That’s above his career average of 4.3. He has Seattle’s only 100-yard rushing game by a back this season, in week two at Pittsburgh.
Seahawks coaches have been managing Walker’s use all year. They held him out of offseason practices this spring. In August he missed parts of training camp with pain in his foot. That issue’s been below the high-ankle sprain he had on the same side last December that put Walker on injured reserve to end his 2024 season.
The idea has been to keep Walker preserved enough to get through all 17 games this season.
Monday, The News Tribune asked Macdonald if Walker and the team are through their managing his foot pain from the summer.
“Well, we’re not just going to give one of our running backs 100% of the snaps. That’s just not responsible for a whole season,” Macdonald said. “We’re not going that far.
“But to my knowledge (Walker feels) as good as you can feel going into Week 12. I think he’s pretty clean and healthy.”
That changed by Friday. Walker wants, needs, to play in all 17 games. These are his last auditions before his rookie contract ends at the end of this season. He wants to maximize his chances to impress the league, to fetch new money for a new deal for 2026 and beyond.
Whether that’s with Seattle or somewhere else is up to Macdonald and Seahawks general manager John Schneider following this season.
Friday, the TNT asked Macdonald if the team felt urgency to get the most out of Walker these last seven games of this season, because of the expiring contract.
“We’re trying to beat the Titans,” Macdonald said, grinning.
“So that’s what we’re thinking about doing. We love having…I mean, Ken’s going to be an integral part of that. So we’re trying to get the squad to Sunday.”
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) gets some air over Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Tykee Smith (23) during the first quarter of the game at Lumen Field, on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in Seattle. The play was called back on a holding. Brian Hayes bhayes@thenewstribune.com
This story was originally published November 21, 2025 at 2:16 PM.
Gregg Bell
The News Tribune
Gregg Bell is the Seahawks and NFL writer for The News Tribune. He is a two-time Washington state sportswriter of the year, voted by the National Sports Media Association in January 2023 and January 2019. He started covering the NFL in 2002 as the Oakland Raiders beat writer for The Sacramento Bee. The Ohio native began covering the Seahawks in their first Super Bowl season of 2005. In a prior life he graduated from West Point and served as a tactical intelligence officer in the U.S. Army, so he may ask you to drop and give him 10.
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