The Seattle Seahawks may be getting a needed lift on offense just in time for Week 7.
Running back Zach Charbonnet is expected to be back in the mix against the Kansas City Chiefs, a possible boost for a Seattle team that has had trouble finding offensive rhythm early in the season. The Seahawks are coming off an overtime loss to the Denver Broncos and sit at 3-3, with three of those defeats coming by three points or fewer.
The biggest headache for Seattle has been the ground game. After the loss in Denver, Mike Macdonald said the Seahawks are not creating the run game they want, and Sam Darnold is absorbing too many hits. Charbonnet’s return could help change that.
Charbonnet has been working back from the torn ACL he suffered during Seattle’s playoff win over San Francisco last season. The Seahawks opened his 21-day practice window on Oct. 1 by designating him to return, but he did not make it back for Week 6. The quick Thursday night turnaround against Denver left too little time to properly ramp him up, and Macdonald said then that the plan was not for him to play.
That could be different with a full week to prepare before the Chiefs game.
The Seahawks have also been without rookie running back Jadarian Price, who is on injured reserve, so Charbonnet’s possible return would give them another option in a backfield that has lacked stability. He has already shown what he can bring, piling up 730 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns last season before the injury ended his year in the playoffs.
His return would not fix everything on its own, but it would give Seattle a more dependable running threat and could ease the burden on Darnold. It would also help the Seahawks avoid putting their quarterback in so many obvious passing downs.
That matters even more against Kansas City, especially with nearly two weeks between the Denver loss and the Week 7 matchup. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler had previously reported that Charbonnet had a legitimate shot to make his season debut against the Chiefs. If he’s cleared, Seattle could finally get the offensive upgrade it has been waiting for.
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