The Seattle Seahawks were brought back to reality a bit on Monday after Saturday's brilliant Divisional Round victory against the San Francisco 49ers. The team won 41-6, but Seattle also lost a key member of the offense. Running back Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL and is out for the rest of the season.
The issue is that his serious knee could certainly affect him next year, too. Charbonnet has a year left on his current deal, but fellow running back and presumptive starter Kenneth Walker III is a free agent this coming offseason. Even with a healthy Charbonnet, Walker should have been a priority signing for the Seahawks. Now, he must be a must.
Charbonnet could easily miss the first part of the 2026 season. If Walker signs elsewhere and Charbonnet is not yet ready to play, Seattle would, theoretically, be left without any real options at starting RB. Whether Klint Kubiak is still the offensive coordinator next season or not, Seattle is likely going to want to run the ball quite a bit.
Zach Charbonnet's injury could affect the Seattle Seahawks and Kenneth Walker in free agency
To be sure, Kubiak isn't going to be fired. He's done a magnificent job with the team this season. More likely, he would be hired as a head coach by some other team.
But no matter who the OC is, the Seahawks need running backs who can successfully operate a scheme that heavily involves the run. The team might draft a running back, but that decision likely would only happen based on what happens with Walker in free agency.
The positive part, at least financially, is that running backs aren't an overpaid group. If anything, the position is underpaid, as teams do not expect RBs to last as long as other spots. They take a lot of punishment, and as teams throw a lot more than in decades past, the importance of the position is somewhat diminished.
At least, generally. Teams that want to make deep runs know that football is fundamental. Throwing the ball is great, but running the ball effectively and playing great defense are essential to winning a championship. For teams that want to attain the highest goal (winning a Super Bowl), having effective running backs is a must.
That likely means the team is a bit more aggressive in re-signing Kenneth Walker in free agency because of Zach Charbonnet's injury than they might have otherwise been. Ideally, Charbonnet and Walker will both return and be healthy to start 2026. As they have shown, the duo can help the Seattle Seahawks be a contender for the Super Bowl.