The Seattle Seahawks paid their Super Bowl tax during the 2026 offseason. Seattle lost multiple players during NFL free agency, including Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III. One new report suggests that his replacement might have a surprising role during the 2026 NFL season.
ESPN's Brady Henderson explained why the role for Seahawks running back Jadarian Price might surprise fans this fall. Henderson argued that Price may not be Seattle's “clear-cut RB1” despite being drafted in the first round.
“The No. 32 pick will be running the ball more now that he's joining a backfield that lost Kenneth Walker III in free agency and won't have Zach Charbonnet for a good chunk of 2026 as he recovers from knee surgery,” Henderson wrote. “But in projecting where Price will fit into that mix, it's best to view him as the Seahawks' replacement for Walker as opposed to their clear-cut RB1. That's because the defending Super Bowl champions also plan to use free agent addition Emanuel Wilson, as well as George Holani, with Charbonnet expected to return at some point.”
Charbonnet suffered a major knee injury, tearing his ACL during Seattle's playoff victory against San Francisco. It is unclear when Charbonnet will return during the 2026 season, but he should not be available in Week 1.
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Henderson is right on the money that Walker was never really a true lead back in Seattle. The Seahawks used Walker and Charbonnet as a committee, giving both backs plenty of touches.
In fact, Charbonnet had a career-high 184 carries for 730 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns during the 2025 regular season.
The Seahawks will likely start the season with Price as their primary running back. However, it seems like Wilson and Holani will play a big role too until Charbonnet returns.
It will be exciting to see how Price fits into Seattle's offense later this fall.
The Seattle Seahawks paid their Super Bowl tax during the 2026 offseason. Seattle lost multiple players during NFL free agency, including Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III. One new report suggests that his replacement might have a surprising role during the 2026 NFL season.