George Holani has been a standout for the Seattle Seahawks this offseason and has looked good in training camp so far, too. That doesn't mean he is guaranteed a roster spot, though. He could be squeezed out by what happens with Zach Charbonnet.
Seattle is probably only going to keep three tailbacks, and potentially two fullbacks, too. Jadarian Price is definitely going to make the team (he was the team's first-round selection in 2026, after all), and free agent signee Emanuel Wilson has a good chance to make the active 53-man roster as well.
Holani could be the third back and even got some RB1 reps in organized team activities and minicamp, but that is partly with the assumption that Charbonnet begins on the physically unable to perform list. Even then, Charbonnet, who is working his way back from a knee injury suffered during the Divisional Round game of the playoffs last season, could start on the active roster.
Zach Charbonnet's return to the Seattle Seahawks could doom George Holani
That would probably mean the team releases another tailback with the hopes they will clear waivers and can be re-signed to the practice squad. Once Charbonnet is placed on PUP, he would have to miss four games, and the re-signed running back can be elevated to the active roster.
That would be a worst-case situation for the Seahawks, but a best-case for Holani if he is the player initially released and then re-signed. The best-case for the team is that Charbonnet makes a miraculous return and is ready for Week 1. He would then split reps with Price, and Seattle's rushing attack could be elite at the beginning of the season.
If that happens, Holani could still be brought back to the practice squad, though he did enough this past offseason that another team might take a chance and claim him on waivers. He deserves an opportunity to play, but he might not have a path forward with the Seattle Seahawks.
Emanuel Wilson is less likely to be waived. He hasn't been a huge producer in his career, but he did get spot starts with his previous team, the Green Bay Packers, and he did quite well. He's been seen by enough NFL teams that releasing him probably means he gets picked up.
New offensive coordinator Brian Fleury is going to want a fairly equal ratio of run to pass, as that has worked well with his previous employer, the San Francisco 49ers, but his scheme uses a fullback more than most teams. Seattle has Brady Russell and Robbie Ouzts, and both have gotten some reps at tight end, too. Their positional flexibility makes them valuable.
If both are kept on the active roster, and that might not happen except for Fleury's scheme, one borrowed from 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and was proven to work with excellent fullback Kyle Juszczyk, then having more than three tailbacks is logistically impractical.
Ultimately, George Holani's time with the Seahawks might come down to the health of Zach Charbonnet. Getting the latter back sooner rather than later would be a boon to the team overall, but not great for the former. The Seahawks having the best players available to help defend last season's Super Bowl victory is what matters most.
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