Seahawks plan around Zach Charbonnet’s PUP start, placing rookie Jadarian Price at the center of the backfield

Seattle has made its opening-season plan clear on the running back depth chart. The Seahawks have announced that running back Zach Charbonnet will start the season on the physically unable to perform list, a designation that removes him from early-action availability while he continues to work back to game readiness.

That decision immediately elevates the role rookie running back Jadarian Price is expected to play in Seattle’s backfield. In a defending-champions context, the message is not subtle: Price is positioned to handle a larger share of the offensive load at a time when the Seahawks’ identity still revolves around controlling possessions and setting the pace through the run game.

Charbonnet’s absence for the season opener changes the internal math of Seattle’s offense, especially on downs where the play-caller typically leans on established run fit and assignment reliability. Without him active at the start, the Seahawks must rely more heavily on their remaining backfield options and their pass-protection cohesion, while continuing to distribute carries in a way that protects the quarterback and sustains drives.

Price, as the rookie thrust into that opportunity, becomes more than a bench option. A heavy workload expectation for a first-year back is often less about “how many touches” in isolation and more about the variety of responsibilities a back can be trusted with early: early-down carries, third-down involvement, and staying disciplined in the run game’s details as defenses adjust on the fly.

The practical challenge for Seattle is maintaining efficiency while sequencing the offense’s pass game behind the run. Even if the Seahawks keep their formation and personnel packages stable, the personnel reality shifts when a rookie is the primary or near-primary back available on game day. The backfield will be watched closely for how quickly Price can translate practice reps into game reads and how consistently he can produce positive yards after contact.

For Price, the immediate watch item is workload management. When a team has a clear shortage at one position due to a PUP placement, it can be tempted to overextend the player at the top of the rotation. Seattle’s coaching staff will likely monitor snaps and situational usage closely to avoid an early-season performance drop that can cascade into game planning constraints.

For Seattle, Charbonnet’s status also sets the tone for how the offense evolves over the season’s first stretch. If he remains on the list beyond the opener, the Seahawks may lean even more into Price’s development, adjusting play-calling tendencies to maximize what the rookie can do reliably now rather than what the team wants to do long-term.