The Seattle Seahawks are headed into the first month of the season without Zach Charbonnet, and that reality leaves Jadarian Price with a heavy load right away.
Charbonnet was put on the physically unable to perform list when final roster cuts were made, which guarantees he’ll miss the first four games at minimum. A Week 5 return would be the best-case path.
The original expectation was even murkier, with the possibility that he might not be back until December. There have been a few encouraging signs in camp, though, even if he hasn’t been practicing.
He was walking fine, for whatever that is worth. Maybe he can start doing drills soon.
Until then, the backfield belongs to Price. Seattle made him a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft in part because it had limited confidence Charbonnet would be ready for Week 1 after injuring his knee in the last playoffs last year. Now the rookie is being asked to go from college backup to NFL starter immediately.
That’s a big leap, even if Price’s path at Notre Dame gave him a taste of the role. He handled RB2 duties behind Jeremiyah Love, who went to NFC West rival the Arizona Cardinals and was selected higher in the first round.
But the expectations around the two backs are not the same. Love landed with a Cardinals team that is expected to be bad and have little hope for success in the brutal division.
If he plays well, that’s a bonus. His team is probably looking at the playoffs from the outside when the season ends.
Seattle’s setup is different. Price needs to prove he was worth a first-round pick in Week 1, because with Charbonnet unavailable he is the clear alpha in the running back room. He’ll get help from George Holani and Emanuel Wilson, at least for now, but the job is his.
That matters even more in Brian Fleury’s offense. The new coordinator’s scheme isn’t built to hum along without a strong run game, and Price’s early production could end up shaping how the whole unit functions.
He’s almost certainly RB1, but that label comes with more than carries. He’ll have to pass-protect cleanly and contribute as a receiver out of the backfield, too.
The encouraging part for Seattle is that Price has looked electric in camp. The hard part is that none of that counts for much once the games start. With Charbonnet sidelined, the Seahawks and their fans are about to find out quickly whether the rookie can handle the pressure and help push the team back toward the playoffs.
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Seahawks Let Go Of A Cornerback Who Immediately Found A Real Role
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Igbinoghene did not have to wait long for another chance. Cleveland signed him to its active roster, giving him a real path to regular-season snaps and a far more immediate role than he had in Seattle. For a player fighting to stick in the league, the difference between a practice squad spot and a 53-man opportunity can be the whole story. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Just Lost A Promising Pass Rusher To A Brutal Rival
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For Seattle, it is the kind of move that stings a little more because it comes with division context and a player the organization had already spent time developing. Sheriff was among the final cuts as the team set its roster, and now the Seahawks will see whether that early investment ends up helping a rival instead of paying off in their own rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Spent A Future Pick On A Quiet Cutdown Day Addition
Cutdown day was busy enough for the Chargers to turn two roster bubble players into future draft assets, and one of those moves nudged a little-needed piece onto Seattles defense. Cornerback Avery Smith, an undrafted free agent who looked destined to be part of the final roster debate, was sent to the Seahawks for a 2027 sixth-round pick, giving Seattle an extra body at a spot where teams are always looking for more depth and flexibility.
The deal fits the kind of late-summer housekeeping that can reshape a depth chart without making much noise at the time. Smith joins a Seahawks team still sorting through its cornerback options, while Los Angeles walked away with compensation for a player who might not have survived cutdown day anyway. The Chargers also made a similar move with defensive tackle TeRah Edwards, and they managed to keep all of their offensive linemen on the initial 53-man roster even with trade discussions swirling. [Read more 🡒]