With Seahawks training camp kicking off later this month, Seahawks.com is taking a look at 10 of the most intriguing storylines, position battles and players heading into the 2024 season. So far, we've taken a look at special teams, tight end and safety, and today we focus on running back and the one-two punch of Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. Check back tomorrow when we turn our attention to inside linebacker, a position group that changed significantly this offseason.
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Running Back Additions: George Holani (undrafted free agent), Kobe Lewis (undrafted free agent), Ricky Person Jr. (free agent).
Running Departures: DeeJay Dallas (signed with Cardinals).
When the Seahawks selected Zach Charbonnet in the second round of the 2023 draft, adding the physical back out of UCLA to a backfield that already included 2022 second-round pick, Kenneth Walker III, they did so envisioning a dynamic one-two punch at running back that would set the tone for the offense.
And while Walker and Charbonnet both played well and had plenty of memorable moments last season, the overall production wasn't there for Seattle in the running game, not so much because of anything those two weren't doing, but rather because of how few offensive plays and rushing attempts the Seahawks had as a team. With the offense struggling on third down for much of the season, and with the defense struggling to get off the field and give the ball back to the offense, the Seahawks ran the fewest total plays in 2023 (995), which contributed to them also having the second fewest rushing attempts (382) and the fifth worst rushing average (92.9) despite averaging a middle-of-the-pack 4.1 yards per carry.
Under any circumstance, an offense would hope to improve upon those numbers, but after making a coaching change in the offseason, the Seahawks will be looking to new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb to get things back on track, both for the offense as a whole, and also for a rushing attack featuring a pair of dynamic backs.
The question, of course, is how Grubb and company will actually use those two backs, as well as Kenny McIntosh, whose rookie season was derailed by a knee injury, and whichever other back or backs make the 53-man roster. Presumably Walker, who has rushed for 1,955 yards and 17 touchdowns in his first two seasons, will be the starting back, but Charbonnet, who rushed for 462 yards and a score while providing a tone-setting physicality, showed he deserves a big workload as well, particularly if the offense can get enough total plays for both to get enough touches.
And what fans should not assume when it comes to the running game and the offense in general is that the offense will be overly pass-heavy just because of how often the University of Washington threw the ball last season. Sure, when you have a record-setting quarterback on his way to a Heisman Trophy runner up finish while throwing to three drafted receivers, including a top-10 pick, you're going to lean on the passing game, but Grubb knows that style might not be ideal for his new offense.
"Over the course of my career, we've done both certainly," Grubb said in his first press conference as Seattle's offensive coordinator. "I think when you look at what we did, probably more specifically at UW over the last two seasons, we were accentuating the positives and there's three receivers that are probably going to get drafted this year, and so I think moving the football through the air was a logical choice and we are going to be a physical team in Seattle. And over the years, that's something that we've certainly done. When the components all matched up, we ran the ball very effectively and I look forward to it. I think that when you have an established run game, it makes calling those other plays, the auxiliary plays off of it a lot easier honestly. It's when you don't have the presence of a run game that things can get really tricky."
Later in the offseason after actually spending some time with the offense, Grubb once again focused on the idea of a balanced attack that utilizes all of its weapons, including Walker and Charbonnet.
"That that grows and evolves every year," Grubb said of the type of traits he wants to see from his offense. "And you base some of that on the talent that you have and the guys that you have here. And so for us, we're trying to make sure that we find every way to utilize those things. When you talk about some of the run/pass balance, you have backs like 9 (Walker) and Zach, you're pretty excited about your ability to run the ball. I think for us, we're trying to meld some things together with some of the things we've done in the past, whether it's a long time ago or even just the last few years and get the guys to understand that we want to be a physical dominant team at the same time have that same explosive, confusing element that people are used to."
When it comes to depth behind Walker and Charbonnet, the Seahawks will be excited to see what McIntosh can bring in his second season after a promising rookie camp was cut short by a knee injury. A prolific rusher and pass-catcher at Georgia, McIntosh could provide a nice change of pace, and perhaps be a fit as a third-down back thanks to his receiving skills. The Seahawks also added a pair of undrafted rookies in George Holani and Kobe Lewis, as well as UFL standout Ricky Person Jr. And given that running back, perhaps more than just about any position in the league, can be a spot where undrafted or late-round diamonds in the rough can thrive, none of those players can be counted out heading into camp.
Check out the best photos from the cornerbacks during the team's 2024 offseason workout program.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Michael Jackson (30) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
The defensive backs participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) and cornerback Lance Boykin (18) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback/safety Coby Bryant (8) and the defensive backs participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Michael Jackson (30) and cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback/safety Coby Bryant (8) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) and cornerback Lance Boykin (18) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Artie Burns (23) and cornerback Tre Brown (22) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) and Seahawks cornerback Michael Jackson (30) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Lance Boykin (18) and cornerback Riq Woolen (27) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21), cornerback Tre Brown (22), cornerback Riq Woolen (27), and cornerback Lance Boykin (18) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Michael Jackson (30) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) and cornerback Riq Woolen (27) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback/safety Coby Bryant (8), safety Ty Okada (39), safety K'Von Wallace (24) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett (28) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback D.J. James (29) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Michael Jackson (30) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) and cornerback Riq Woolen (27) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Michael Jackson (30) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback/safety Coby Bryant (8) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) and cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback/safety Coby Bryant (8) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) and cornerback Michael Jackson (30) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Artie Burns (23) and cornerback Michael Jackson (30) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback D.J. James (29) and cornerback Carlton Johnson (37) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett (28) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
The cornerbacks participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) and cornerback Riq Woolen (27) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21), Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27), and safety Rayshawn Jenkins (2) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett (28) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27), cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) and cornerback Tre Brown (22) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback/safety Coby Bryant (8) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback D.J. James (29) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback/safety Coby Bryant (8) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon (21) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) participated in offseason workouts at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.
