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San Francisco 49ers’ linebacker De’Vondre Campbell itackling Seattle Seahawks’ running back Kenneth Walker in the fourth quarter
The Seattle Seahawks made a big investment in their backfield when they used a second-round pick on running back Zach Charbonnet in 2023, and one insider believes the team could now clear the path for him to become the featured back.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay identified some top trade candidates across the NFL after the conclusion of the draft, naming Kenneth Walker III as a potentially expendable back. Kay suggested the Seahawks could hand a bigger role to Charbonnet after two productive seasons, leaving Walker as trade bait.
Kenneth Walker III Could Fall Victim to Crowded Backfield
Kay noted that the Seahawks have “a surprising amount of running back depth” heading into the 2024 season. With Walker heading into the final year of his rookie contract, Kay wrote that the time could be right to hand over the reins to the capable Charbonnet.
“The Seahawks shouldn’t struggle much without Walker in the fold,” Kay wrote. “Zach Charbonnet—who still has two years left on his current deal—is ready to step up into Seattle’s RB1 role, and a pair of intriguing seventh-rounders in Kenny McIntosh and rookie Damien Martinez can fill out the backfield depth.”
Kay added that Walker has already seen a small dip in production, starting his rookie season by averaging 4.6 yards per carry but watching those numbers fall to 4.1 yards in his second year and 3.7 yards last season.
“Part of the reason is Seattle’s inconsistent offensive line, but Walker hasn’t looked as dynamic as he did in Year 1 in recent seasons,” Kay wrote.
But Walker still has plenty of value, and other teams would likely agree, he added. Kay suggested Walker could fetch the Seahawks a mid-round NFL draft pick in the trade market.
“Despite the regression, there’s still reason to believe Walker’s best years are ahead of him,” Kay wrote. “He’s been dealing with injuries that limited him to just 11 games last year and could improve with a clean bill of health. He’s gotten more involved in the passing game over the years too, culminating in a career-best 46-catch, 299-yard, one-touchdown stat line in 2024.”
Charbonnet and Walker split the work out of the backfield last season, and their production was nearly identical as well. Walker rushed 153 times for 573 yards and seven touchdowns, with Charbonnet taking 135 carries for 569 yards and eight touchdowns.
Both also had a big impact in the passing game, with Walker making 46 receptions for 299 yards and one touchdown and Charbonnet making 42 receptions for 340 yards and one touchdown.
Seahawks Playing to Zach Charbonnet’s Strengths
The Seahawks could already be planning an offense that more heavily features Charbonnet. The team used a first-round draft pick on North Dakota State guard Grey Zabel, who could help fuel more interior runs.
As SI.com’s Brock Vierra noted, that would play to Charbonnet’s strengths more than Walker.
“Charbonnet is a hard-nosed, between-the-tackles runner who hasn’t had the opportunity to truly show off his skills due to the lack of quality on Seattle’s interior offensive line,” Vierra wrote. “Zabel helps change that, especially in Klint Kubiak’s run scheme.”
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
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