Seattle Seahawks Excited For 'Scat Back' Kenny McIntosh to Fill Void Minus Ken Walker III

Stuck watching from sidelines in his first two games on the 53-man roster, injuries have opened the door for versatile rookie Kenny McIntosh to finally show what he can do with the NFC West-leading San Francisco 49ers coming to town for Thanksgiving.

RENTON, Wash. - While Kenny McIntosh finally returned to the active roster earlier this month after a lengthy recovery from a knee injury, the Seattle Seahawks have yet to have a chance to see what the rookie running back can provide their offense.

But following two weeks of being a healthy scratch, McIntosh looks primed to finally make his NFL regular season debut against the 49ers on Thursday night after starter Ken Walker III suffered a strained oblique in Sunday's loss to the Rams. With the reigning Rookie of the Year runner-up likely to miss at least one game, coach Pete Carroll all but confirmed the seventh-round pick will be thrust into a significant role.

“He is ready to go. I’ve been saying that we just didn’t have the opportunity yet," Carroll told reporters on Monday. "He’ll go right to the front with this thing. He and Zach [Charbonnet] will be knocking it out with DeeJay (Dallas), until we know Kenny [Walker III] is back. McIntosh is ready to go, and he needs to be ready to play."

Selected out of Georgia with the 237th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, McIntosh joined a crowded Seahawks backfield headlined by Walker, second-round pick Zach Charbonnet, and returning veteran DeeJay Dallas. But the versatile runner impressed throughout his first offseason program and the early stages of training camp, looking like a viable threat to push for snaps as a third down back with soft hands as a receiver and pass protection chops.

Unfortunately, McIntosh's push for early snaps hit an abrupt road block when he sprained his knee on a carry during Seattle's annual mock scrimmage on August 4. At the time, Carroll seemed to think he had a good chance to be back by the start of the regular season after avoiding a more serious injury, but he wound up landing on injured reserve and missed the first seven games before finally being designated to return to practice.

Turning heads early in his first training camp, Kenny McIntosh suffered a knee injury in Seattle's mock scrimmage, which knocked him out of action until early November :: Corbin Smith/All Seahawks

When asked about where McIntosh would fit into Seattle's offense as a potential replacement for Walker, Carroll immediately pointed out his pass-catching skills as his top attribute, which shouldn't come as a surprise after he reeled in 43 receptions for 505 yards as a senior at Georgia last season. He ranked in the top 10 in the nation for backs in both categories, including finishing second in receiving yards, showing enough flexibility to line up out wide at times.

But Carroll also lauded McIntosh for his upside as a change-of-pace runner alongside Charbonnet and Dallas, whose respective games are predicated more on power. Though he didn't test well athletically at the NFL Scouting Combine, which likely contributed to his free fall into the seventh round, he demonstrated far better burst and explosiveness on the field before getting injured and he averaged 5.5 yards per carry as the Bulldogs' lead back last year for a reason.

"He’s got really good versatility in his catching ability in the throwing game. He’s a scat back, got good quicks, good change of direction, good movement and stuff," Carroll said of McIntosh. "We’re really excited about the prospects of Kenny getting some shots. If that happens, we’ll count on him to fill that role for us.”

With only a couple days until kickoff against the 49ers, under the presumption Walker won't be available as expected, the Seahawks will start Charbonnet for the first time and lean on him as the bell cow back. Behind him, it remains to be seen whether Dallas or McIntosh will receive more opportunities in a reserve role, which could boil down to who gets the hot hand.

Based on Carroll's comments on Monday coupled with how McIntosh performed early in camp prior to going down, it wouldn't be a surprise if Seattle gave McIntosh an extensive test drive to see if he can provide much-needed juice for an offense that has been marred by inconsistency all season. His ability to do damage both as a runner and pass catcher creates intriguing options for offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who can move him all over the formation.

Going against one of the NFL's best defenses, having a chess piece such as McIntosh could be invaluable for Seattle, particularly as a security blanket for Geno Smith in the passing game being covered by linebackers and safeties. With it being his first game action, however, snaps may be on a pitch count and Dallas' experience may be viewed as an advantage versus a familiar foe.

No matter what, for the Seahawks to have a chance at pulling off the home upset, they will need all hands on deck in the backfield to offset Walker's absence and keep a feisty 49ers pass rush at bay. Possessing a unique skill set and championship pedigree, the team will be counting on McIntosh to help provide that spark in his team debut.

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