There's no knowing whether Zach Charbonnet would not have torn his ACL in the Seattle Seahawks' divisional round of the NFL playoffs against the San Francisco 49ers last season; he would have automatically taken Kenneth Walker's place as the Seahawks' starting running back.Â
Charbonnet's chances would have been high, though; that's for sure. Only Charbonnet has never been a full-time rusher in his three NFL seasons, leaving his resume incomplete. If he had finished the entire season healthy and Walker still left in free agency, perhaps the Seahawks would have given the keys to Charbonnet, and Jadarian Price might have been drafted elsewhere.Â
At the end of the day, none of that played out. Instead, the Seahawks did draft a running back, and Charbonnet is still recovering from his injury and is not expected back until November or December. It's unfortunate for Charbonnet, given what this next season means for his future with the Seahawks. Getting back on the field can't come fast enough for him.Â
Zach Charbonnet's injury recovery and contract year make his future with the Seattle Seahawks unclear
With Price about to take over as the Seahawks' starting rusher, it's likely that once Charbonnet returns, he'll return to his usual backup role, or, depending on how Price is playing at the time, share full-time duties. Whether it is a shared backfield or backing Price up, Charbonnet needs to get back on the field as soon as he can.Â
Charbonnet is about to play out the final year of his rookie contract. Despite never elevating himself to the Seahawks' premier running back, he has proven to be reliable, efficient, and clutch when the Seahawks needed him, whether behind or beside Walker. Furthermore, Charbonnet's production since his rookie season has been nothing but a steady progression, improving each season.Â
Last season was a career year for the California native, racking up 730 rushing yards on 184 carries, including 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, Charbonnet may never reach those numbers with the Seahawks again if next season is his last in Seattle. Once Charbonnet returns, he won't have much time to show what he can do post-injury.Â
If he's not auditioning for the Seahawks, he'll be auditioning for the other 31 teams in the NFL. Aside from a successful recovery, the best thing for Charbonnet's future is getting back on the field as soon as he can and taking advantage of the Seahawks' remaining games. At the same time, it would be unwise for Charbonnet to rush back.
Missing a large portion of a contract year is not in Charbonnet’s favor. What he does with the time he has left will play a significant role in his offseason next year, whether the Seahawks are in the mix for his further services or someone else.
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