HEADLINES

Kenneth Walker

Latest On Seahawks’ RB Room

June 26th, 2023 at 12:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

Seattle is in line to have a strong backfield in 2023 after supplementing starter Kenneth Walker with rookies Zach Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh. That trio is likely to be joined by DeeJay Dallas, giving the team a number of decisions to make with respect to how each back is used.

All four players, to varying degrees, have shown an ability to produce in the passing game at either the NFL or college levels. That could lead to a notable increase in passing plays out of the backfield this season, ESPN’s Brady Henderson notes. Charbonnet (a second-round selection) and McIntosh (seventh round) in particular helped their draft stock with notable pass-catching seasons in 2022.

Walker stands to serve as the undisputed starter after he finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. His success made it little surprise when Rashaad Penny and Travis Homer departed in free agency, creating the vacancies filled by Charbonnet and McIntosh. Their roles will likely involve signficant pass-catching duties, especially if the Seahawks elect to use a committee approach.

“Yeah, they’re catchers, for sure,” head coach Pete Carroll said of Seattle’s RB room as a whole. “Kenny is a really natural athlete, you can just see it in everything that he does. Zach does everything well… He’s already shown his understanding and his instincts about blocking in the passing game – not the physical side of it, but his assignments and his footwork and stuff like that. We’ve just got to throw them out there and start handing the ball to them, see what happens and see who produces and all.”

As his last remark confirms, little is known at this point with respect to the pecking order behind Walker on the depth chart. Heavy involvement in the passing game out of the backfield could help Seattle’s rookies see the field right away, though the team’s receiver trio of D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and first-rounder Jaxon Smith-Njigba figures to limit the amount of targets available at the RB position.

As Henderson notes, Carroll has not traditionally favored using Seattle’s backs prominently in the passing game. Given the skillsets available to him now, however, it would come as little surprise if that philosophy shifted in 2023 and the years immediately following this season.

Seahawks Planning To Carry Four RBs?

June 3rd, 2023 at 5:57pm CST by Ely Allen

The Seahawks were able to clear out some space in their running backs room this offseason as they allowed Rashaad Penny and Travis Homer to depart for Philadelphia and Chicago, respectively, in free agency. Tony Jones signed with the Broncos and fellow practice squad running backs Godwin Igwebuike and Wayne Gallman both still sit on the free agent market after their contracts with the team expired, leaving only Kenneth Walker and DeeJay Dallas on the roster leading up to the draft.

Seattle drafted two rookies to join Walker and Dallas and now face yet another season in which they may be rostering four or more running backs. In fact, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times is fairly sure that four backs will be retained on the 53-man roster with the likely question being who takes that fourth spot.

Walker, who finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting with an impressive debut outing, is certain to return as the team’s lead back. After amassing 1,050 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in 11 starts, Walker will be looking to take the next step in his sophomore season.

Dallas returns for the final year of his rookie contract. He’s never gotten to display much as a backup running back, usually splitting touches with Homer and Penny, not to mention Chris Carson, Alex Collins, and Carlos Hyde in previous years, but this may be the year that Dallas gets to breakout out as a true primary backup behind Walker. Even if the two rookies prevent him from establishing a role as RB2, Dallas’s roster spot should be safe. Over his three years in Seattle, Dallas has been a dedicated special teams contributor and a reliable returner of both punts and kickoffs.

The Seahawks used a second-round selection, their fourth pick in the first two rounds, to select Zach Charbonnet out of UCLA. Charbonnet projects as the most likely option to unseat Dallas as the second back behind Walker. After a strong freshman season at Michigan that saw him rush for 726 yards and 11 touchdowns, Charbonnet lost carries as a sophomore to Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum, leading to a transfer to the west coast. Charbonnet responded to losing his job in Ann Arbor by dominating the Pac-12, rushing for 2,496 yards and 27 touchdowns over two seasons with the Bruins. He brings a bit more size to the position than Walker or Dallas yet still provides a surprising agility to go along with great vision and reliable pass-catching.

Kenny McIntosh was the team’s final draft pick of 2023 in the seventh round. As a senior at Georgia last year, McIntosh finally got an opportunity to perform as the lead back after the NFL departures of James Cook and Zamir White. McIntosh delivered with 829 rushing yards for 10 touchdowns, but he truly thrived as a receiving back, catching 43 passes for 505 yards and two more touchdowns in 2022. Walker, Dallas, and Charbonnet all have some pass-catching ability, but McIntosh’s specialty in the area may be enough to secure him a roster spot as a rookie. McIntosh has similar size to Charbonnet and has more experience as a committee back with a receiving role from his time with the Bulldogs.

The only other back on the roster, after the team waived undrafted rookie Chris Smith this week, is Bryant Koback, a previously undrafted running back who spent last season on the Vikings’ practice squad. Koback put up ridiculous numbers at Toledo, rushing for 4,026 yards and 45 touchdowns over his career as a Rocket. That total could’ve been even higher if Koback hadn’t been limited to six games in a COVID-shortened 2020 season. While Koback has a strong college resume, Condotta is under the impression that it will take a lot in order for him to unseat McIntosh as the fourth running back on the roster.

Therein lies the plan for Seattle in 2023. Walker should continue as the team’s lead back with either Dallas or Charbonnet taking over key backup duties. Dallas can also compete for pass-catching duties with the other rookie, McIntosh. And, unless Charbonnet and McIntosh make Dallas completely superfluous with strong special teams contributions of their own, Dallas should continue to be a core special teamer for the Seahawks. All this while Koback gives his best audition to prove he deserves a chance in the regular season.

Seahawks RBs Kenneth Walker, DeeJay Dallas Game-Time Decisions

December 11th, 2022 at 8:17am CST by Ely Allen

DECEMBER 11: Walker is not expected to play against the Panthers, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The Seahawks hope to have him back in action for their upcoming Thursday night matchup with the 49ers.

DECEMBER 10, 3:05pm: Walker and Dallas have both been upgraded to questionable for tomorrow’s game, increasing the likelihood that they make an appearance against the Panthers, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The two still have not practiced all week, so it will be intriguing to see if they are still game-time decisions tomorrow and how much they will play, if at all.

The team also announced that it will be elevating practice squad running back Godwin Igwebuike, who converted to running back last year for the Lions after a couple years as an NFL safety. In 17 games with the Lions last season, Igwebuike ran the ball 18 times for 118 yards and a touchdown, adding seven catches for 60 yards. He also returned kickoffs for the Lions, which may indicate that he is taking an injured Dallas’s spot on the kickoff return team.

Seattle will use its second standard gameday elevation on practice squad receiver Laquon Treadwell.

DECEMBER 10, 2:04pm: Initially listed as questionable after injuries in last weekend’s win over the Rams, Seahawks running backs Kenneth Walker and DeeJay Dallas have both been downgraded to doubtful leading into the team’s matchup against the Panthers this Sunday, according to ESPN’s Brady Henderson. Both Walker and Dallas will be game-time decisions to play this weekend.

Seattle was closing in on panic mode as Walker, Dallas, and fourth-stringer Tony Jones all left the game with injuries. With primary backup running back Travis Homer already declared out for last week’s game, the Seahawks were in trouble when Walker and Dallas exited the game. When Jones sustained a hard hit and made his way to the injury tent, Dallas was asked to return to play despite being listed as doubtful to return.

Walker and Dallas are both technically possible actives for tomorrow, but neither has participated in practice at all this week. This may present Homer with his fist starting opportunity since his rookie season. A former sixth-round draft pick out of Miami, Homer has mostly served as a reserve back in a deep position room. Behind the team’s usual top running backs duo, Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny, Homer was granted few opportunities to run the ball or show his prowess catching passes out of the backfield during his first three seasons.

Homer has held onto a roster spot much the same way as his former Hurricanes teammate, Dallas: stellar special teams play. While Dallas’s special teams impact has come as a returner. Homer tends to play on all of the kickoff, punt, and return units. He’s racked up a good amount of special teams tackles with aggressive play and even forced some turnovers. In fact, his lone rushing touchdown in the NFL could be attributed to his special teams play as he scored on a 73-yard rush during a fake punt. He has another special teams touchdown from an onside kick recovery that saw him recover the attempt and speed past would be tacklers as they looked for a ball that was on its way to the endzone.

Homer’s first start three seasons ago came in a Week 17 game that saw injuries force his way up the depth chart. The team signed then-retired running back Marshawn Lynch to back him up, welcoming Lynch back after four years away from the team. In his lone regular-season start, Homer rushed for 62 yards on 10 carries and caught all five of his targets for 30 more yards. He also started the Seahawks’ first-round playoff game before Lynch got the start in the second round.

If Walker and Dallas are unable to go, Jones will likely serve as Homer’s backup. Recent practice squad addition, Wayne Gallman, is also reportedly ready to play if Seattle needs him. Whoever is taking handoffs, Seattle may need a big game from them against a Panthers defense that has been more vulnerable to the run than the pass this year. A big game from Homer and company may be needed to keep the Seahawks from going 0-4 against the NFC South this season.

NFL Injury Rumors: Donald, Stafford, Walker, Queen

December 4th, 2022 at 10:04pm CST by Ely Allen

Rams star defensive tackle Aaron Donald reportedly has no intentions of joining star teammates quarterback Matthew Stafford and wide receiver Cooper Kupp on injured reserve this season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Donald suffered a high ankle sprain last week in the team’s loss to the Chiefs, but the belief is that the injury is mild and Donald will be able to return this season.

Specifically, Donald has intentions of returning by Week 15 for a Sunday night matchup against the Packers. Donald has his ankle immobilized to promote its healing and is determined to make a comeback this season. Rapoport posits that “the way Donald is wired, he has no plans to shut it down regardless of the team’s record.”

Here are a couple of other injury rumors, starting with another one of the Rams injured stars:

  • Although it remains undetermined whether or not the Rams have any plans of bringing back their star quarterback, the newest updates indicate that Stafford’s recent placement on IR marks the end of his season, according to Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic. Head coach Sean McVay explained Stafford’s injury as a spinal cord contusion. With the team sitting at 3-9, good for last place in the NFC West, Los Angeles probably doesn’t think it’s worth the risk to trot the 34-year-old quarterback out on the field with so little on the line.
  • The Seahawks took some real lumps in their win over the Rams today, sustaining a litany of injuries to their running backs room. Already short primary backup Travis Homer, who was downgraded to out prior to kickoff after dealing with illness and a knee injury all week, both starter Kenneth Walker III and third-string DeeJay Dallas exited the game with ankle injuries. Walker was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game while Dallas was designated as doubtful to return, leaving the team with only fourth-string running back Tony Jones. Minutes later, Jones would take a big hit that would put him in the medical tent, forcing the previously doubtful Dallas to return to the game. Seattle has dealt with injuries in the position room all year. Aside from losing Rashaad Penny for the season, Walker joined the team late after a hernia surgery and Homer previously spent four weeks on IR. With all those absences, it’s no surprise the Seahawks picked Jones up off of waivers in October and are now carrying four running backs on the active roster. Nobody could’ve guessed that four wouldn’t be enough.
  • Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson wasn’t the only Baltimore player to leave the game with an injury earlier today. Starting linebacker Patrick Queen was carted off the field with a thigh injury and was ruled out for the remainder of what was a defensive slug fest against the Broncos. Head coach John Harbaugh was able to tell the media that x-rays were negative for the third-year linebacker and that Queen had been diagnosed with a thigh bruise. If the injury is serious, Queen could miss his first game since being drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. With veteran inside linebacker Josh Bynes also dealing with an injury, this would leave the Ravens fairly thin with newly acquired Roquan Smith and Malik Harrison to start and only special teamer Kristian Welch to relieve them, as another special teamer, Del’Shawn Phillips, also deals with an injury.

NFC West Notes: Seahawks, Golden, 49ers

September 16th, 2022 at 3:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

While much of the Seahawks–Russell Wilson drama should be expected to recede in the coming weeks, now that the Broncos’ Seattle date has come and gone, the decorated quarterback and his former team will still be connected in the years to come. One of the recent discussion points involving Wilson centered around previous times the Seahawks explored trading him. Wilson confirmed recently he knew about multiple trade talks the Seahawks engaged in during his 10-year run.

“Definitely they tried to, a couple different times, to try and see what was out there,’’ Wilson said of Seattle trade talks (via 9News’ Mike Klis). “It’s part of the business and it’s part of being a professional and everything else. ‘Upset’ is probably the wrong word. I believe in my talent and who I am.”

Wilson, who threw for 340 yards and a touchdown in a Seattle return that became overshadowed by Nathaniel Hackett‘s strange final-minute field goal strategy, was asked specifically about Seahawks-Browns talks in 2018. The Seahawks were linked to attempting to trade their perennial Pro Bowl QB to the Browns for the No. 1 overall pick. A 2020 report indicated the Seahawks wanted both the Browns’ Nos. 1 and 4 picks in 2018 (which turned into Baker Mayfield and Denzel Ward), but those conversations were more conceptual in nature. Nevertheless, the Seahawks’ trade discussions involving Wilson led to the no-trade clause in his 2019 extension. QB trades were less prevalent in 2018 compared to their frequency today; a Wilson move at that point would have been far more shocking than it was in 2022.

Here is the latest from the NFC West:

  • Rashaad Penny received the bulk of the carries for the Seahawks in their upset win over the Broncos, but the team’s rookie back will make his debut this week. Ken Walker will return after missing weeks due to a hernia surgery. Pete Carroll confirmed the second-round pick will be active against the 49ers, via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta (on Twitter). Penny, a 2018 first-round pick who showed his best form at the end of last season, is signed to a one-year deal. Walker’s rookie contract runs through 2025.
  • The Cardinals gave Markus Golden a short extension, a one-year bump that runs through 2023. The veteran edge rusher’s deal maxes out at $6.5MM. A sack-based incentive package worth $2MM is included in that total. Golden can earn $250K for reaching six sacks and another $250K for totaling eight, Howard Balzer of SI.com tweets. If Golden registers 10 sacks, he will collect a $500K bonus. A 12-sack season would mean an additional $1MM. Golden, 31, should have a reasonable chance of acquiring some additional cash. He has three double-digit sack seasons as a pro, his most recent coming in 2021 (11). Of course, Arizona’s pass-rushing situation looks a bit different now, seeing that All-Pro Chandler Jones signed with the Raiders.
  • Elijah Mitchell‘s MCL sprain and IR trip will change the 49ers‘ backfield equation. After being inactive in Week 1, third-round rookie Tyrion Davis-Price will suit up against the Seahawks. Kyle Shanahan said the back end of his backfield committee, one that will be fronted by Jeff Wilson, will be a hot-hand situation between Davis-Price and rookie UDFA Jordan Mason. The latter’s special teams ability and Davis-Price’s early issues in pass protection led to him being inactive against the Bears, Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News notes. Although Davis-Price has the highest draft pedigree of San Francisco’s current backs, the 49ers bailing on third-rounder Trey Sermon after one season shows Shanahan is unafraid to prioritize lower-level investments at this position.

Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III Could Play Week 1

September 3rd, 2022 at 8:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

Not much is expected of the Seahawks’ passing attack this season, but their ground game could be a strength of the team given their investment in the position. The newest member of their running backs room is slated to play a large role in its performance, though his availability to begin the season remains a question. 

Rookie Kenneth Walker III is currently recovering from hernia surgery which took place just over two weeks ago. The procedure kept him sidelined for the remainder of Seattle’s preseason contests but Week 1 of the regular season was named at the time as a potential return date.

On that point, Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson reports that Walker has resumed practicing and that “there’s a shot” the Michigan State alum will be able to suit up for the regular season opener. He does caution, however, that a Week 2 return remains the likelier scenario at this point.

“This is really uncharted territory for him and for us too in that regard in what he’s coming back from,” head coach Pete Carroll said when asked about Walker’s progress. “He feels way better, he’s moving around… It’s just going to be one day at a time.”

Whenever the second-rounder is recovered, he will provide a significant boost to Seattle’s run game. Last year’s Walter Camp and Doak Walker award winners as the nation’s top running back, Walker put up 1,636 rushing yards and 18 touchdown during his first and only campaign with the Spartans. He will take on at least a notable rotational role alongside Rashaad Penny in the backfield.

The Seahawks lost Chris Carson to retirement this offseason, so while Penny represents the team’s present after inking a one-year deal to stay in the Emerald City, Walker certainly represents their future. The Seahawks may only need to wait a matter of days to see the latter make his NFL debut.

NFC West Notes: Donald, Hawks, 49ers

August 17th, 2022 at 2:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

Right up until his landmark summer contract agreement, Aaron Donald teased retirement. The all-time great is going into his age-31 season, but during the negotiations with the Rams, Donald said he knows he has at least three more years in the NFL. The Rams had Donald under contract through 2024, via the 2018 extension he signed, but gave the seven-time All-Pro a straight raise in June. He is now signed to a defender-record $31.7MM per year through 2024.

“I think myself and the front office, talking with his reps, were really: ‘OK, if Aaron wants to play football, then really it’s on us to figure out a way to get the money right. Aaron shouldn’t retire because of us,'” Rams GM Les Snead said, via the New York Times’ Emmanuel Morgan. “The third part, and I think Aaron did a really nice job, is because he was actually honest and said, ‘Look, I know I got three years.’ Then it’s working creatively to be able to reward Aaron, but also engineer a contract where if he does retire in three years, it doesn’t punish the club for the future.”

Donald, whose deal also includes a no-trade clause, recently connected his future to Sean McVay‘s. This accord came during an offseason in which the Rams also extended Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp. The latter’s deal also came with multiple years remaining on his previous contract. Here is more from the NFC West:

  • Seahawks rookie running back Kenneth Walker represents a key part of the team’s backfield equation, one that recently lost Chris Carson to retirement. Walker will not be available for a bit, with Pete Carroll indicating the second-round pick is battling “a little hernia thing” that may sidetrack him for the rest of the preseason. The Seahawks are now targeting Week 1 for Walker’s return, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com notes (Twitter links). Walker has already undergone surgery to address the problem, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Seattle re-signed Rashaad Penny in March, and while the injury-prone back missed time recently because of a groin issue, he returned to practice Tuesday.
  • In addition to Walker being out for the Seahawks’ second preseason game, the team’s quarterback competition will see one of its members down for that contest. Drew Lock contracted COVID-19 and will miss the Seahawks’ Thursday tilt against the Bears. Already behind Geno Smith in vying to succeed Russell Wilson, with Carroll saying Tuesday that Smith remains “the No. 1 guy,” Lock will be shut down by the NFL’s current COVID protocols. Players are no longer required to be moved off the roster for virus reasons, but they must isolate for at least five days after testing positive.
  • Mike McGlinchey played eight snaps in the 49ers’ first preseason game, returning from the torn quadriceps injury he suffered in November. But Kyle Shanahan said the veteran right tackle experienced knee irritation after the preseason action, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle notes. While the sixth-year HC added the PRP procedure McGlinchey underwent is not connected to the surgery had reattaching his quad tendon to the kneecap, it should be something to monitor here. McGlinchey is in a contract year, and the 49ers let his 2021 backup — Tom Compton — sign with the Broncos. Colton McKivitz, who spent most of last year on the team’s practice squad, is in place as McGlinchey’s backup.
  • Cardinals running backs coach James Saxon is on administrative leave stemming from two domestic battery charges, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports. These charges stem from an alleged May incident in Indianapolis, per Weinfuss, who adds one of the charges is a Level 6 felony for an alleged assault on a woman in front of a child under the age of 16. The Level 6 charge in Indiana comes with a sentence of six months to 2 1/2 years in prison. The other charge is a Class A misdemeanor. Saxon, 56, has been an NFL assistant since 2000 and with the Cardinals since 2019.

Seahawks Sign Three Picks, Finalize Draft Class

July 26th, 2022 at 9:11pm CST by Ben Levine

The Seahawks entered the day with three unsigned draft picks, but they finished signing all of their rooks today. The team announced that they’ve signed second-round linebacker Boye Mafe, second-round running back Kenneth Walker III, and fourth-round defensive back Coby Bryant.

Mafe was selected with the No. 40 pick following a standout career at Minnesota. That includes a 2021 campaign where he compiled 26 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and seven sacks en route to second-team All-Big Ten honors. In Seattle, he should temporarily provide some depth behind the projected starting linebacker trio of Jordyn Brooks, Cody Barton, and Uchenna Nwosu.

Walker had a breakout season at Michigan in 2021, finishing with 1,636 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. That performance earned him a long list of awards, and the Seahawks ended up using the No. 41 pick on him, making Walker the second RB off the draft board. With Chris Carson retiring, the rookie will immediately see a role on Seattle’s offense alongside running back Rashaad Penny.

Bryant earned the Jim Thorpe award as college football’s top defensive back in 2021 after finishing with 34 tackles, two interceptions, and 11 passes defended in 14 games with Cincinnati. The Seahawks used the No. 109 pick on him, and he’ll provide some depth at cornerback.

With the signing, the Seahawks have signed their entire draft class:

Round 1: No. 9 (from Broncos) Charles Cross, OT (Mississippi State) (signed)
Round 2: No. 40 (from Broncos) Boye Mafe, DE (Minnesota) (signed)
Round 2: No. 41 Kenneth Walker III, RB (Michigan State) (signed)
Round 3: No. 72 Abraham Lucas, OT (Washington State) (signed)
Round 4: No. 109 (from Jets) Coby Bryant, CB (Cincinnati) (signed)
Round 5: No. 153 Tariq Woolen, CB (Texas-San Antonio) (signed)
Round 5: No. 158 (from Dolphins through Patriots and Chiefs): Tyreke Smith, DE (Ohio State) (signed)
Round 7: No. 229 Bo Melton, WR (Rutgers) (signed)
Round 7: No. 233 (from Vikings through Chiefs): Dareke Young, WR (Lenoir-Rhyne) (signed)

NFC West Rumors: Wagner, Walker, Eskridge, Lenoir

July 17th, 2022 at 7:45pm CST by Ely Allen

Seattle made headlines earlier this year when they made the decision to release career-Seahawk Bobby Wagner. The 32-year-old linebacker may have seen the writing on the wall after the team traded away quarterback Russell Wilson, but, according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times, Wagner didn’t want to leave Seattle.

The Seahawks released their star linebacker in order to avoid his $20.35MM cap hit in the 2022 NFL season. Wagner understood that but, reportedly, wanted to stick around. The sting of having to leave his home of the last ten years was softened a bit by two factors: the unfortunate way that the franchise handled the news and the eventual conclusion that he would return to his old home of California.

Wagner claimed he heard the news from “so many other people” and had to reach out to head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider to confirm. Carroll and Schneider have since admitted that they regret the way the news was handled.

On returning home, Wagner said, “I didn’t want to leave Seattle. But if I was going to leave Seattle, home was the next-best thing for me and so being able to be home, like I’m at peace with the situation.”

Here are a few other rumors from around the NFC West, starting with a couple out of Wagner’s former home in Washington:

  • Seattle utilized a second-round pick to bring in one of the draft’s top running back prospects, Kenneth Walker III, and they don’t intend to let that use of draft capital sit on the bench. For a number of reasons, Walker figures to factor heavily into the Seahawks’ running backs rotation in 2022, according to ESPN’s Brady Henderson. With Wilson’s departure, and the lack of a star quarterback to step in for him, Seattle will likely rely a little more heavily on the run game. If incumbent starter Chris Carson‘s health keeps him from returning to the field (or even the roster), the team will have to lean on Rashaad Penny. Penny has missed time with injury, too, though, and, whether Penny “misses more times and/or…the Seahawks manage his touches to prevent overwork,” Walker should benefit from increased opportunities to contribute.
  • The Seahawks are set to return their top-three receivers from last year in Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf, and Freddie Swain. According to Henderson, though, second-year receiver D’Wayne Eskridge could be the X-factor in Seattle’s receivers room next season. The former second-round pick has had a slow start to his career due to a number of injuries. His rookie season was marred by a toe injury and concussion, and Carroll has opined about time he missed this offseason with hamstring issues. If Eskridge can get healthy and show the talent that made him a second-round pick, he can combine with Lockett and Metcalf to provide a strong receiving corps for quarterbacks Drew Lock and Geno Smith.
  • We’ve talked a couple of times now about the 49ers’ position battle at nickel cornerback. Multiple sources have pinned Darqueze Dennard against rookie fifth-round pick Samuel Womack for the starting job with the possibility that starting outside corner Emmanuel Moseley may slide inside on nickel-formations if Dennard or Womack fail to seize the role. Someone we haven’t mentioned, though, who can’t be ruled out, is last year’s fifth-round pick Deommodore Lenoir, according to Cam Inman of The Mercury News. When he was drafted, many viewed Lenoir as the “heir apparent” to K’Waun Williams, who left for Denver in free agency this offseason, creating the vacant nickel position up for grabs now. Currently, Dennard, Womack, or Moseley are still the favorites to win the job, but Lenoir still has the potential to swoop in and take the crown he was drafted to grow into.

Draft Rumors: Ojabo, Jaguars, Jets, Giants

April 6th, 2022 at 5:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Michigan still might see two of its edge rushers become first-round picks this month. Despite David Ojabo‘s Achilles tear last month, the ex-Wolverine’s talent could well keep him on track to hear his name called on the draft’s first night. Ojabo remains firmly on the Round 1 radar, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports notes. Ojabo is expected to make a full recovery, and a team that uses a first-round pick on him would be positioned to have him contracted for five seasons — via the fifth-year option. Operating opposite Aidan Hutchinson, Ojabo recorded 11 sacks in a breakout 2021. There is recent precedent for pre-draft injuries not keeping talented pass rushers out of the first round (Jeffery Simmons) and for Achilles rehabs going well enough players become factors months after the tears (Terrell Suggs, Michael Crabtree, Cam Akers).

Here is the latest from the draft world:

  • Hutchinson and NC State tackle Ikem Ekwonu met with the Jaguars this week, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes both will head to New York for Giants and Jets visits (Twitter link). Both players are candidates to go first overall, with Georgia defensive lineman Travon Walker joining them. The Jets and Giants hold four of the next nine picks — the Jets having Nos. 4 and 10 and the Giants at 5 and 7 — and will be set to add top talent. The Giants have a few needs, but it will be hard to see them exiting Round 1 without a right tackle prospect. They have done extensive homework on Mississippi State’s Charles Cross and would likely pounce if Ekwonu, who is rated ahead of Cross almost universally, fell to 5.
  • After a strong Combine showing, Walker is being projected as a top-five pick. He will visit with each of the teams holding those selections, with Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com noting the Jags, Lions, Texans, Jets and Giants are meeting with the pass rusher. Despite weighing 272 pounds and frequently playing inside with the national championship-winning team, Walker clocked a 4.51-second 40-yard dash at the Combine. Viewed as a D-lineman with fewer red flags than Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux, it is unlikely Walker will wait long to hear his name called.
  • Teams will do their due diligence on Thibodeaux, who is set to meet with the non-Jaguars contingent of the top five (Lions, Texans, Jets, Giants). The Eagles (Nos. 15 and 18) and Falcons (No. 9) are also planning “30” visits with Thibodeaux, Wilson notes. Questions about Thibodeaux’s motor and attitude have injected uncertainty into the defensive end’s status. A fall to Philly at 15 might not shock at this point.
  • One season remains on Saquon Barkley‘s contract, and the Giants‘ new regime has fielded trade calls on the previous staff’s top investment. The team is now using a few of its allotted 30 visits on backs. Breece Hall (Iowa State), Brian Robinson (Alabama) and James Cook (Georgia) visited the Giants on Tuesday, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. Hall could be available when the Giants’ second-round pick (No. 36) comes. However, the ex-Cyclones standout grades as a first-round talent on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board. Cook and Robinson are viewed as later-round prospects.
  • The Commanders are also taking a look at a top back, being set to meet with Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker on Friday, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). Scouts Inc. grades Walker just ahead of Hall as this class’ top back, but views him as a second-round talent. The Wake Forest transfer blew up for 1,636 rushing yards in his only Michigan State slate. Washington also met with Hall this week, John Keim of ESPN.com tweets.
  • Andrew Booth may miss his NFL team’s offseason workouts due to hernia surgery, but that should not deter teams from considering the Clemson cornerback in Round 1. Booth has met with the Bills (No. 25) and Eagles, with Rapoport adding Patriots (No. 21) and Saints (Nos. 16 and 19) meetings are also on Booth’s docket.
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