It seems there is some split opinions on how to rank the Seattle Seahawks’ running back room. Recently, ESPN’s Mike Clay ranked the unit with a lofty No. 4 overall in the league. However, it seems as if there are those who would disagree.
According to Pro Football Focus, the Seahawks are closer to the middle of the pack than they are leading it. The 49ers, Dolphins and Lions are at the top of this food chain, whereas Seattle is considerably behind them. Their analysis goes as follows:
“Kenneth Walker is one of the NFL’s most boom-or-bust backs, having recorded a missed tackles forced average above 0.20 but also a stuff percentage (rushes for no gain or a loss) above 20% in each of the past two seasons. Despite the lower efficiency, Walker’s positive reps are so good that he has earned PFF rushing grades above 84.0 in each of the past two years. If he can stay healthy and cut down on the negatives, he can be a top-10 back and carry this group. Zach Charbonnet will slot in as RB2 after a solid rookie season in which he earned a 74.4 rushing grade.”
The issues the Seahawks ground attack has been more to do with offensive play calling/game planning, and a weak offensive line, more than it has to do with personnel. The “boom-or-bust” allegation for Walker can be better attributed to an offensive system under Shane Waldron that never really figured out a consistent identity or ability to fully utilize all the weapons at his disposal.
Ryan Grubb, the new offensive coordinator, managed to balance out his embarrassment of riches at the University of Washington last year. While the NFL game is certainly far different than college, there should be more faith in him being able to maximize what he has.
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