The Seahawks’ next step at the trade deadline may come down to what happens Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Seattle is less than a week from the deadline, and Week 9 will be the final game before general manager John Schneider has to lock in his plans. The biggest question hanging over the team is whether it will pursue Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor.
That decision could hinge on how Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet look in their second game back from injury. Both returned against the Chicago Bears, and the results weren’t encouraging. The pair combined for 16 carries and 52 yards, leaving Seattle with plenty to sort out in the backfield.
The Seahawks have been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Taylor over the past couple of weeks, though the talk quieted after Seattle acquired Quenton Nelson in a deal just before Week 8. Still, the running back situation remains unsettled, and the Cardinals game could push the team one way or the other.
Seattle wants confidence in where this offense is headed, and that starts with the ground game. If Price and Charbonnet deliver, the Seahawks can keep leaning on internal growth. If they stumble again, a Taylor move starts to look a lot more reasonable, especially after the recent negotiations between the Seahawks and Colts.
The bigger picture is clear: Seattle is chasing a championship and knows it is not as strong as it was a year ago, particularly on offense. The Nelson trade was a move in the right direction, but the Seahawks still need more punch.
Adding Taylor would give them an immediate upgrade at running back and, in turn, could help restore the kind of run-game presence they had last season. That would also open more for Darnold, reduce the chances of turnovers, and make the offense more dangerous overall.
For now, the Seahawks are hoping Charbonnet and Price can seize the job themselves. If they don’t, and Sunday turns into another quiet day on the ground, Taylor may become the obvious answer.
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Colts Fans Are Losing Faith As Jonathan Taylor Debate Heats Up
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Jonathan Taylor now sits at the center of that debate, with the conversation around the star running back becoming a referendum on how long this rebuild might take. For a team trying to chart a path forward, the question is no longer just what Taylor means to the offense, but whether keeping him fits the timeline the Colts are really working on. [Read more 🡒]