Seahawks RB Rashaad Penny (groin) likely out for preseason opener

8/11/2022 7:50:44 PM EST

Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny likely will miss Saturday's preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a groin injury, coach Pete Carroll told reporters on Thursday.

Carroll said Penny is "feeling a little bit of groin tightness," and that rookie Kenneth Walker III would see a good amount of action.

Penny, 26, has been injury prone during his NFL career. He has played in just 37 of a possible 65 regular-season games since being a first-round pick out of San Diego State in 2018.

He displayed some of his promise late last season when he rushed for at least 135 yards in four of Seattle's final five games. He averaged 7.3 yards per carry during the stretch while compiling 671 yards and six rushing scores on 92 carries.

Overall, Penny had a career-best 749 rushing yards last season to raise his career count to 1,572. He has scored 12 touchdowns -- 11 on the ground and one as a receiver.

Walker is a second-round pick out of Michigan State. He won the Doak Walker Award last season as the best running back in college football while gaining 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Carroll said Thursday that he is impressed with Walker.

"He wants to be great, and he's not going to let any stone be unturned," Carroll said. "So I'm really excited to see how he goes. He's going to get some good playing time in this game and (we'll) get him comfortable with the speed of the game and all of that. I expect him to do well."

--Field Level Media

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