The Seahawks are at a turning point in their backfield, and the clearest path forward may be the simplest one: lean hard into Jadarian Price and stop splitting the workload.
With Kenneth Walker III gone after winning Super Bowl MVP, Seattle spent OTAs sorting through the running back pecking order. Rookie first-round pick Jadarian Price was working with the starters alongside George Holani, who backed up Walker against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. But the case for Price is pretty direct - if the Seahawks want to find out what they really have, they need to hand him the bulk of the carries right away.
“Jadarian Price has legitimate three-down potential. He's a smooth runner with excellent hips, change of direction ability, vision, and untapped upside as a pass catcher. The Seattle Seahawks have George Holani and Zach Charbonnet at running back, but Price is the long-term replacement for Super Bowl 60 MVP Kenneth Walker III,” NFL Draft On SI contributor Justin Melo wrote.
Seattle has talked about using a committee in the backfield, but that idea may not hold up once the season starts. Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL in the playoffs and is not expected back until sometime in the middle of the season, which leaves the Seahawks needing to adjust. In that setup, Price stands out as the best option.
He is a rookie, and there were plenty of people who viewed him as a reach at No. 32 overall. Still, the Seahawks used a first-round pick on him for a reason.
The belief is that he has the talent to develop into one of the league’s better backs, especially in an offense that already leans on the running game. New offensive coordinator Brian Fleury is also bringing elements of San Francisco 49ers schemes with him, and that should only help Price’s game fit what Seattle wants to do.
What Seattle cannot do is keep cycling through backs and expect a clear answer. If Price is constantly getting pulled for Holani or Emanuel Wilson, the Seahawks won’t get a real read on their first-round investment.
That does not mean Price should be handed the job without earning it. But it does mean Seattle should give him every opportunity to become the kind of player who can change the offense for the better.
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