The Seattle Seahawks did something in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft that many expected: The team chose running back Jadarian Price out of Notre Dame. The move should make ascending fourth-year pro Zach Charbonnet nervous, though.
Charbonnet has been a good back for Seattle for three years, but not good enough to be an RB1. He has conceded that spot to Kenneth Walker. This offseason in free agency, however, Walker signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, and Charbonnet might have had a path to being the starter in the final year of his rookie contract.
Two things have affected that possibility. One is that Seattle chose Price, of course. The other is that Charbonnet tore his ACL in the playoffs against the San Francisco 49ers, and the running back might not be at full strength by Week 1.
Seattle Seahawks taking Jadarian Price is bad news for Zach Charbonnet
Charbonnet does have a few things in his favor as far as sticking with the Seahawks in the long term. One is that he is seemingly a very good person and a great fit for the team's culture. That makes more of a difference in Seattle than with most other teams.
Another is that the running back is used to playing as part of a rotation. The team adding another high-quality running back probably won't affect Charbonnet negatively emotionally. He understands how the NFL works.
A third factor is that the Seahawks have preferred having two running backs who can play nearly half the reps in each game, and that isn't likely to change under new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury. Having Charbonnet around is a good thing overall, and a great thing to help Jadarian Price stay fresh.
But to be sure, Zach Charbonnet will be a free agent in 2027, and while he isn't going to entertain the size of the contract Walker did (he signed with the Chiefs for three years and as much as $43.05 million), the Seattle running back is likely to have teams interested in his services. Some of those might outbid the Seattle Seahawks, just as the Chiefs did with Walker.
First, Charbonnet has to prove he can be fully healthy for most of next season and be productive when he does play. Price is a rookie, obviously, and still has to show he can pass protect well while learning the offense. If he falters, Charbonnet would get more reps. The hope, however, is that both players perform brilliantly for the Seahawks in 2026.
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