Mike Washington Jr., Arkansas Razorbacks
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(Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
It’s clear by now that one major worry on the Seattle Seahawks‘ roster heading into the 2026 NFL season is the running back position.
Kenneth Walker III is gone after leaving for the Kansas City Chiefs via free agency. Meanwhile, Zach Charbonnet will miss part of the season as he recovers from an ACL tear that he suffered in January.
The NFL Draft presents the opportunity for Seattle to do what they have done in recent years and find a running back on Day 2. Walker and Charbonnet were selected on Day 2, so the Seahawks will be looking to replicate that success.
As for who the team could take, FanSided’s Justin Carter believes that the Seahawks should draft former Arkansas Razorbacks star Mike Washington Jr. in the second round to replace Walker.
“Seattle found a lot of success using a rotation at running back, so don’t be shocked to see the team go after a back in the 2026 NFL Draft,”Washington wrote in his April 11 article. “Arkansas’ Mike Washington Jr. would make a ton of sense at the end of the second round as a complement to Charbonnet.
“Washington feels like he definitely has some Walker in him in that he’s a powerful between-the-tackles runner who has the speed to punish defenses. He needs to rein in some things as far as ball security goes, and he’s not ready to play on obvious passing downs, but he can still be a valuable early-down option for the Seahawks.”
Seahawks Get De’Von Achane Trade Idea to Solve RB Worry
While the draft would be one way to bolster the running back room, there’s also the possibility of a trade. Recently, FanSided’s Christopher Kline pitched a trade idea in which Seattle sends a 2027 third-round pick and a 2027 fourth-round pick to theMiami Dolphins in exchange for De’Von Achane and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
“The Dolphins are in full-on rebuild mode, even if there’s clear internal belief in Malik Willis as a franchise-caliber quarterback,”Kline wrote in his article published on April 8. “This roster is just not built to contend, which makes trading De’Von Achane feel like the obvious next move — even if the front office is publicly bullish on keeping him.
“Achane is the most explosive runner in football right now, a blur between the tackles and a lightning bolt in the open field. He has utility as a pass-catcher, he can handle a three-down workload, and he’s still in his prime at 24. He’s also in the final year of his contract. The Dolphins, under no circumstances, should pay Achane what he’s probably worth on the open market. The running back position is too volatile.”
Would De’Von Achane Be an Upgrade Over Kennether Walker III?
Moreover, after letting Walker walk as a free agent, Kline has a better running back than what they previously had if the Seahawks could swing a trade for Achane,who didn’t report to the Dolphins’ offseason workout program on April 7.
“It’s far more palatable to extend Achane when he’s in a proven winning context, with the infrastructure necessary to maximize his output,” Kline added.
“Seattle didn’t want to pay Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker at the end of the day, but Achane is even better. In return, the Dolphins get a couple of picks to burn (or trade) in a draft where selecting Willis’ successor could become prudent, depending on the results of next season.”