The Seattle Seahawks are heading into Week 7 with a thinner backfield than they wanted, and the final injury report delivered the kind of news that can shake up a game plan fast.
Running back Zach Charbonnet will not play against the Kansas City Chiefs, head coach Mike Macdonald said Friday. That was not the expectation entering the week, especially after Charbonnet had been a full participant and appeared to be trending toward a return.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport had even reported that Charbonnet could handle a heavy workload against Kansas City. Instead, he’s been ruled out again.
That absence lands harder now because the Seahawks have been struggling to get the run game going. Charbonnet’s value has shown up in the tight spaces - short-yardage situations and the red zone - and those are exactly the areas Seattle has missed most.
The 3-3 team had reason to think he might be available in Week 7. He won’t be.
There was also less encouraging news on the defensive side. Nick Emmanwori is questionable with a hip issue, and Macdonald did not offer much clarity beyond saying the injury happened on Friday.
He would not say whether it occurred during practice, leaving the situation clouded heading into kickoff. Emmanwori could still suit up, but the lack of details made the update more frustrating than reassuring.
Macdonald did confirm that Drake Thomas and Chazz Surratt will be out, though that part was expected. Neither practiced this week, and both sat out Week 6 as well. Surratt has value as a special teams contributor, while Thomas’s starting inside linebacker role will again go to Tyrice Knight.
There was at least one bit of good news for Seattle. Right guard Anthony Bradford is set to return, and that should help a rushing attack that has been asking too much from backups Beau Stephens and Christian Haynes. Even with Jadarian Price still on injured reserve and Charbonnet unavailable, Bradford’s return gives the Seahawks a better chance to create movement up front and find a little more life on the ground.
In Other News...
Rams Offense Suddenly Has Another Injury Scare Seahawks Fans Will Notice
Puka Nacuas latest trip to the sideline is the kind of development the Seahawks have learned to watch closely whenever the Rams start stacking up injuries. The Los Angeles receiver left practice early because of a calf issue, and it comes at a rough time for a Rams offense that already lost Davante Adams to a hamstring injury. Nacua has still been a central piece of what Los Angeles wants to do this season, even with his own missed games and the stop-and-start health battle that has followed him.
For Seattle, the concern is less about one practice than what it could mean for a divisional opponent already trying to hold things together. The Rams have also been managing injuries on the defensive side, which has added to the uneven feel around their season. If Nacuas calf becomes another lingering problem, it would only deepen the uncertainty around a team the Seahawks will be paying attention to very closely. [Read more 🡒]
Sam Darnold Puts Seahawks Offense Under Pressure Before Chiefs Test
The Seahawks have spent the better part of 10 days trying to clean up an offense that has too often left too much to fix on the fly. With Kansas City up next, Sam Darnold said the focus has to be on consistency and preparation, the kind of basic work that becomes even more important when the schedule delivers a defense as demanding as the Chiefs.
Darnolds own play has made the urgency impossible to ignore, with seven interceptions in five games leaving Seattle searching for steadier execution at quarterback. The challenge only grows with Steve Spagnuolos defense waiting on the other side, a test that will show whether the Seahawks extra time off translated into real answers or just another week of concern. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Get Encouraging Injury News With A Few Sunday Concerns Left
The Seahawks got a healthier-looking practice report as the week wound down, with Anthony Bradford and Zach Charbonnet both taking full reps. For a team still trying to piece together its best lineup, that kind of participation matters, especially on the offensive line and in the backfield, where availability can change the feel of a game plan quickly.
There were still a few Sunday concerns left on the board, though, with Connor OToole and Drake Thomas missing practice because of injuries. Seattles own injury picture is improving, but the larger matchup also comes with its own questions, as the Chiefs enter with most of their core players practicing fully while a handful of others remain unavailable or unlikely to go. [Read more 🡒]