Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet is just five months removed from tearing his ACL in a January playoff win over the 49ers, but he is not a lock to miss time in 2026. Head coach Mike Macdonald isn’t closing the door on Charbonnet suiting up in Week 1 (via Mike Florio of PFT).
“Everything’s possible, yeah,” Macdonald said when asked if Charbonnet could be ready for the start of the season.
The Seahawks will open 2026 with a Super Bowl LX rematch against the Patriots on Sept. 9, just under eight months after Charbonnet’s injury. It would be an ideal outcome for Charbonnet to be ready by then, though it seems improbable for someone who didn’t undergo surgery until Feb. 20.
It may be more realistic to expect Charbonnet to return sometime in October or November, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. If that is the case, Charbonnet could begin the year on the reserve/PUP list, which would require at least a four-game absence.
Charbonnet, whom the Seahawks chose in the second round in the 2023 draft, spent his first three seasons splitting snaps with Kenneth Walker. While Walker got more touches during that span, Charbonnet still piled up 427 carries and 95 catches. He set career highs in rushing attempts (184), yards (730) and touchdowns (12) over 16 regular-season games last year, though his injury limited him to five carries and 20 yards in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Walker capped off the Seahawks’ run to a championship with a Super Bowl-MVP winning performance in a 29-13 victory over the Pats. A month later, he left Seattle to sign a three-year, $43.05MM deal with Kansas City in free agency.
With Charbonnet recovering from a major injury and Walker out of the picture, the Seahawks spent their first-round pick (No. 32) on former Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price. He and Charbonnet could be the Seahawks’ one-two punch whenever the latter returns. In the meantime, George Holani and Price were “basically 1 and 1A” during mandatory minicamp this week, Gregg Bell of the Tacoma News Tribune relays. Free agent addition Emanuel Wilson was third in the pecking order.
Kenny McIntosh is also in the fold, but he is still on the mend from the ACL tear he suffered last July. Macdonald indicated McIntosh could begin training camp on the active/PUP list, per Bell.
This content was brought to you by: Pro Football Rumors
