New RB Signs: Insurance For Ken Walker III & Banged-Up Seahawks

Though he doesn't have the burst or dynamic athleticism of Ken Walker III or Rashaad Penny, Wayne Gallman has been a reliable runner between the tackles throughout his NFL career and could be ready to contribute in a pinch for the Seattle Seahawks if needed.

One day after coach Pete Carroll indicated the Seahawks would likely address their injury-marred backfield internally, the team added an experienced veteran to the mix by signing Wayne Gallman to their practice squad on Tuesday.

Despite leaving Los Angeles with a 27-23 victory on Sunday, Seattle lost starting running back Ken Walker III to an ankle strain in the first half and reserve DeeJay Dallas battled through a high ankle sprain of his own in the second half. Third down specialist Travis Homer already had been ruled out before kickoff with a knee injury, leaving only Tony Jones Jr. as a healthy option in the final two quarter.

"That’s a really good question. I can’t give you much right now to go on, we will wait on that," Carroll told reporters when asked about the state of the Seahawks running back room. "There are going to be some questions about how the guys make it back, so we will have to wait and see how it goes. Right now, I can’t tell you.”

With Walker, Dallas, and Homer all ailing and their respective statuses for this weekend's Week 14 matchup against the Panthers and beyond uncertain, the lack of depth necessitated the move to bring Gallman on board.

Gallman, 28, previously starred at Clemson, rushing for over 3,400 yards and 34 touchdowns in three seasons with the program. Thanks in part to his hard-nosed running, he helped lead the Tigers to a National Championship victory over Alabama before declaring for the NFL Draft in 2017.

After deciding to forgo his senior season, the 6-foot, 210-pound Gallman was selected in the fourth round by the Giants and rushed for 476 yards in a reserve role as a rookie. His best season came in 2020 when he replaced an injured Saquon Barkley as the starter, rushing for a career-high 682 yards and six touchdowns. Ironically, his best game as a pro came against the Seahawks that year, as he rushed for 135 yards on just 16 carries to spearhead a 17-12 upset at Lumen Field.

In four years with the Giants, Gallman also caught 80 passes for 498 yards and a pair of touchdowns, proving to be a serviceable receiver in the passing game. Per Pro Football Focus, he also excelled as a pass protector early in his career, earning elite 85.7 and 88.3 grades in his first two seasons.

Despite that success, Gallman wasn't re-signed by New York and bounced around with three different teams in 2021, playing in eight games for Atlanta and Minnesota. After not participating in training camp for any teams this past August, he joined Kansas City's practice squad in October and was released on November 29 without appearing in any games.

As the Seahawks know from previous experience playing against him, Gallman plays faster than his 4.60 40-yard dash time suggests when he gets into open field. But his game has always been predicated on hard-nosed running between the tackles and pushing the pile rather than being a home run threat with elite speed or quickness. Carroll will take those qualities as a change of pace runner who can also pass protect and catch passes if needed.

Given their current injury concerns in the backfield, though Darwin Thompson and Godwin Igwebuike also could be options on the practice squad, Gallman's experience and versatility should give him a chance to be brought in and get up to speed in quick order. If he's able to learn the playbook and turns in a strong week of practice, it wouldn't be a surprise at all to see him suiting up and receiving a handful of carries against the Panthers on Sunday.

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