The Seattle Seahawks walked into training camp with a running back depth chart that looks nothing like it did a few months ago. Kenneth Walker III signed with Kansas City in free agency, and Zach Charbonnet is still working back from a torn ACL he suffered in the playoffs. That leaves a whole lot of carries up for grabs.
First round pick Jadarian Price is the headliner. The Notre Dame product put up 674 yards and 11 touchdowns on 113 carries last season, averaging a tidy six yards per attempt. He also caught two touchdown passes and brought back two kickoffs for scores. Seattle’s front office saw him as the clear best back on their board and didn’t hesitate.
Coach Mike Macdonald has been clear about not boxing Price into one role. He’ll run wide zone. He’ll run gap scheme. He’ll catch passes out of the backfield. And he’ll return kicks if that’s where things shake out. Price averaged 36.1 yards per kickoff return in college with three touchdowns, so that part of his game isn’t theoretical.
The competition behind him is real, even if the names are less flashy. George Holani filled in during Seattle’s playoff run after Charbonnet went down and appeared in 11 regular season games. He only had 73 rushing yards but the coaching staff trusts him in pass protection and on special teams. Free agent addition Emanuel Wilson will also be in the mix.
Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh are both rehabbing ACL injuries. The team has said Charbonnet is still part of the long term plan, but healing takes time and the NFL doesn’t wait. So for now it’s Price, Holani and Wilson battling for carries that used to belong to Walker and a healthy Charbonnet.
What’s interesting about Price is how naturally he fits into what Seattle wants to do offensively. Macdonald emphasized that the offense needs to take another step in getting halfbacks involved in the passing game. Price caught 32 balls over his college career and showed pretty reliable hands. That matters when you’re trying to keep defenses honest on early downs.
The kickoff return element might be the sleeper here. The NFL’s new kickoff rule changes have teams hunting for returners who can actually break one. Price’s college numbers suggest he’s that guy. If he wins the job and becomes a weapon on special teams too, that’s just bonus value for a first rounder who already projects as the lead back.
Training camp will sort out the pecking order. But right now Price has the best shot at walking into Week 1 as the guy with the ball in his hands on first down.
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