A vaunted running attack is not something the Seattle Seahawks are known for these days, not since the days of Marshawn Lynch's thunderous route running and physical downhill trudges. Several years before Lynch, Shaun Alexander was the shining beacon of Seattle's offensive attack.
The Seahawks have had their fair share of legends at the running back position, but those were days of the past. Since Lynch left the game, Seattle has gone through a handful of backs who were serviceable at best but never game-defining or season-transformative.
Current Seahawks starter Kenneth Walker III has been the team's most impactful back in several years, and Seattle's new offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, plans to utilize Walker and Seattle's running game with more intention next season.
Klint Kubiak to make the Seahawks' running game a significant part of team's identity
One element that bodes well for the Seahawks is that their division isn't necessarily ripe with premier running backs that can turn the tide of a Sunday afternoon West Coast battle. Apart from the San Francisco 49ers, who have Christian McCaffery as their main weapon, Seattle is essentially in the same boat as the Arizona Cardinals and the LA Rams when it comes to the backfield.
Walker has proved to be solid in his three years with the Seahawks, posting 1,050, 905, and 573 yards, respectively, from 2022 to 2024. While each year shows regression, he has remained effective when healthy and on the field.
Due to Walker's injury-riddled 2024-25 campaign, Seattle struggled mightily to run the ball. Their run game was toast, with Walker on ice for six games. Seattle's offense had to rely heavily on Geno Smith, void of any proper run support.
Of course, Smith is now in Las Vegas, and Sam Darnold took his spot. The quarterback change also accompanied an offensive coordinator change, with Kubiak taking the reins. If Kubiak has anything to say about it, Seattle will hopefully have a much more effective run game next season and a more prioritized one, according to what right tackle Abraham Lucas told the media after one OTA session.
"It's entirely new, so pretty much everything," Lucas said. "Just downhill, running off the ball, establishing the run. I know we got a lot of criticism for that [last year], so moving into this year, we're looking to really get after it in the run game, specifically."
Lucas went on to mention an identity shift in Seattle's offense instigated by Kubiak. Of course, one aspect that will help Seattle's run game is the offensive line being better, and the offensive line should be better if Lucas can remain healthy. If all that happens, Seattle could make a literal run to the postseason in 2025.
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