The Seahawks may be about to get the kind of backfield boost that changes the feel of their whole offense.
Seattle handled the Kansas City Chiefs 20-3 on Sunday, and Emanuel Wilson delivered his best outing of the season with a 24-carry, 100-yard, one-touchdown performance. Even with that production, the running back room remains thin, and the Seahawks are still waiting on key pieces to return.
Presumed starter Zach Charbonnet has not played yet this season, rookie first-round pick Jadarian Price has missed the last four games, and Velus Jones Jr. went down with a hamstring injury in the Week 7 win. That leaves Seattle hoping reinforcements arrive soon, especially after losing three of four games from Weeks 3-6.
Charbonnet is the name to watch first. Head coach Mike Macdonald said there was a chance he would play against the Chiefs, while ESPN’s Ian Rapoport said on the Pat McAfee Show that he expected Charbonnet to "play a lot" in that game. Seattle ultimately ruled him out, but Macdonald also said Charbonnet did not suffer a setback.
That matters because Charbonnet is working back from a torn ACL and trying to return after just a nine-month recovery. With that kind of timeline, availability can shift quickly.
Still, it would be a surprise if he came close to playing last week, avoided any setback, and then missed again in Week 8 against the Chicago Bears. A Monday night debut is very much in play.
Price could be on a similar path. Macdonald said, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson, that Price is expected to practice this week.
He has 21 days to be added back to the active roster, though his Week 8 status remains unclear. If Seattle can get both Charbonnet and Price back together, that would give the offense a much stronger foundation in the run game.
Charbonnet and Price could form a true one-two punch, the way Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker III did from 2023-25.
There are still enough moving parts here that this week’s practice reports will tell the real story. Wilson and George Holani have held up their end, but the Seahawks have not had the chance to lean on one or two backs the way they would like. Offensive coordinator Brian Fleury even used three running backs against Kansas City.
A trade is still possible, but if Charbonnet and Price are both trending back toward health, Seattle should not need to look outside the building.
In Other News...
Seahawks Added Insult To Chiefs First Loss In Brutal Fashion
The Seahawks 20-3 win over the Chiefs in Week 7 was already one of the most lopsided results of the NFL weekend, but it carried an extra layer of embarrassment for Kansas City. Seattles defense controlled the game from start to finish, and the victory also came on a day when Travis Kelce reached a notable milestone, passing Tony Gonzalez for the most combined regular-season and playoff receiving yards by a tight end.
After the game, Seattle added a little more salt to the wound with a social media post that leaned into Taylor Swift, Kelces wife. The team included a friendship bracelet image and paired it with a caption quoting one of Swifts songs, a playful jab that kept the Seahawks in the spotlight even after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Kenneth Walker Couldnt Hide His Frustration After Seahawks Shut Him Down
Kenneth Walker III had a rough return to Seattle in Week 7, and the frustration showed after the final whistle. The former Seahawks running back, now with the Kansas City Chiefs, did not stop to greet his old teammates following Seattles 20-3 win, a departure from the usual postgame courtesies that drew attention after a game in which the Seahawks defense controlled the action.
Walker later explained his reaction by pointing to the loss itself, and it was easy to see why the evening left a mark. Seattle made a point of taking him out of the game plan, holding him to a season-low 36 rushing yards and helping set the tone for a defense that dictated the matchup from start to finish. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Face One Big Injury Question Heading Into Bears Week
Mike Macdonalds latest injury rundown offered the Seahawks a mix of relief and lingering uncertainty as they turn the page toward Bears week. Rashid Shaheeds knee injury is showing positive early signs, while Charles Cross appears to be dealing with a high-ankle sprain that could keep him out for another one to two weeks, leaving Seattle to juggle its protection plans up front.
The backfield situation is less clear. Zach Charbonnet is back to practicing at full capacity, but his game status is still undecided, and Jadarian Price is set to return to practice with his own availability still to be determined. For a Seahawks team trying to settle in before the next test, the biggest question may be less about who is available in a practice window and more about who is actually ready to take the field on Sunday. [Read more 🡒]