The Seattle Seahawks may not view running back as the offseason problem outsiders think they do.
Seattle head coach Mike Macdonald offered a notable update on the position on March 30, making it clear he is comfortable with the backs currently in the building even after Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III left for the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. Speaking with NFL Network’s Steve Wyche at the Annual League Meeting, Macdonald pointed to the team’s injured backs, George Holani’s late-season play, and Zach Charbonnet’s production as reasons for optimism.
That matters because Seattle’s backfield looks much different than it did during its championship run. Walker is gone, Charbonnet is working back from the ACL injury he suffered in the postseason, and Kenny McIntosh is also rehabbing after missing all of 2025 with an ACL tear. On paper, that leaves the Seahawks thinner than they were a season ago, especially this early in the offseason.
Still, Macdonald did not sound like a coach worried about the position.
“Well, we have, you know, Kenny Mac and Zach are gonna be rehabbing, like, crazy, trying to get back,” Macdonald told Wyche, via NFL.com. “We’re gonna be aggressive with that as best we can, but we’re also gonna be as smart as we can to take care of them. So, when they’re ready to go, they’re ready to go.”
Macdonald also singled out Holani, who helped late in the year after returning from an earlier injury.
“I think what you saw from George Holani in the offseason, or really at the end of the season, Super Bowl, NFC championship, the guy played great football,” Macdonald said. “So, we’re always looking to make our team take the next step, but the guys we’re having the building were excited for, and I’m pretty sure it’s Zach Charbonnet scored, like, 14 touchdowns last year, so it was pretty good.”
What Mike Macdonald’s comments say about Seattle’s plan
The most important takeaway is not that the Seahawks are definitely done adding to the room. It is that they are not publicly treating running back like a position in emergency need of a fix.
That distinction matters.
Seattle still has George Holani, Kenny McIntosh and newly added Emanuel Wilson behind Charbonnet, and Macdonald’s comments suggest the staff sees enough there to avoid forcing a move just because Walker left. NFL.com also noted that Charbonnet was a highly effective short-yardage back in 2025, scoring 14 rushing touchdowns, with 12 of them coming from six yards or closer.
That detail is important because it explains why Seattle might still believe Charbonnet can anchor a big part of the role once healthy. He may not replicate Walker’s explosiveness, but he has already shown real value in finishing drives and handling power situations near the goal line.
Why the Seahawks still may not be finished
At the same time, Macdonald’s tone was not a declaration that Seattle’s running back room is set.
NFL.com noted the Seahawks still had roughly $33 million in cap space as of Sunday, with the draft less than a month away. That leaves room for Seattle to continue exploring options if Schneider decides the room still needs another proven body or a rookie with upside.
And that is probably the sweet spot: Macdonald’s comments do not end the running back rumors, but they do shift the tone around them.
Instead of sounding like a team scrambling to replace Walker, the Seahawks are signaling patience. They believe in Charbonnet’s touchdown production, like what they saw from Holani late in the year, and appear willing to let the rehab timelines for Charbonnet and McIntosh play out before making any rash move.
For Seahawks fans, that is the real update. Seattle may still add at running back before the 2026 season begins, but Macdonald made one thing clear: the team is not panicking about the room it has right now.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Seahawks Drop Major Running Back Update Amid Free Agency Rumors appeared first on Heavy Sports.