COLUMN: The state of the Seahawks running back room
MIKE MAYNARD | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 3 months, 2 weeks AGO
Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet (26) runs to the field during introductions before an NFL preseason football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, in Seattle.
AP Photo/John Froschauer
There is a lot to discover with the Seahawks as the regular season nears. There’s a new quarterback in Sam Darnold, the receiver room has been revamped with the return of the hometown guy Cooper Kupp and, as always, seeing if the offensive line improves.
However, there is another situation that should be talked about more — the state of the Seahawks’ running back room.
In the last few seasons, their run game has not lived up to the hype when they first brought in Kenneth Walker, or K9, for the diehards out there. Walker had a strong rookie season, with over a thousand yards rushing and nine rushing touchdowns. Averaging 4.6 yards per carry in your rookie season is promising. However, after three seasons, those numbers have only declined, and with that, the rest of his stat line too.
Injuries have played a role in that decline. In each of his first three seasons, injuries have interfered with Walker's availability. With one preseason game left, he has yet to step on the field during a game.
In his absence, two running backs have looked great through the first two games of the preseason. Zach Charbonnet and George Holani have looked great under the Klint Kubiak system.
When Charbonnet filled in for Walker last season, he showed a lot of promise to become a key contributor on offense. He contributed 909 scrimmage yards on offense last season. It was a 230-yard improvement from his first season in 2023. In the Seahawks' second preseason game, Charbonnet stepped on the field and left his mark. On five carries, he accounted for 45 rushing yards and averaged nine yards per carry. If he were to get 15 carries, he would have over 130 yards with that average.
Charbonnet is a former second-round pick for the Seahawks. With his promising 2024 season and start to the preseason, Charbonnet is well-positioned to be a threat for Walker’s starting spot.
George Holani looks to be making the most of his opportunities in his second season in the NFL. In the Seahawks' first preseason game against the Raiders, he was a standout player. On seven carries, Holani averaged 6.7 yards per carry for 61 yards and a touchdown. Against the Chiefs, he had five carries for 49 yards with an average of 9.8 yards per carry.
I would be remiss not to mention rookie Damien Martinez, who carved out 50 yards rushing and a touchdown on 11 carries against the Chiefs.
The run game for the Seahawks this year looks promising. The only question that remains is, who is the bell cow guy?
If the season started on Sunday, and Walker was healthy, I would expect Walker and Charbonnet to split the snaps. The way Kubiak called the run plays so far this preseason seems to thrive on multiple running backs contributing on offense. In game one, they accumulated over 170 rushing yards. In game two, they amassed 268 rushing yards.
If Walker wants to keep the starting spot on the depth chart, he needs to take snaps and be productive. Otherwise, the starting job should belong to Charbonnet for the foreseeable future.
Whenever Walker is on the field, he is productive and shows a lot of promise as a player. Paired with Charbonnet, the Seahawks offense could curate an impressive one-two punch in the run game. If Walker is not available, Holani has shown the promise of being consistent enough to back up Charbonnet.
No matter what head coach Mike McDonald and Kubiak decide to do with the depth chart, there is great potential in the run game for the Seahawks this year. If they can create a run game that’s tough to stop, Sam Darnold and the pass game will be able to capitalize.
Offense has become the ruler of the NFL in recent years. Yes, defense is important. However, to keep up with the league and remain competitive for a playoff spot, teams need to be aggressive about creating high-powered offenses. The Seahawks have done that with how they have retooled their offense coming into this season.
A new quarterback and an overhaul of the wide receiver room point to a promising future in Seattle. If the running back room can pull its weight, January is going to look busy.
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