While the running back position as a whole continues to become more devalued by the year across the NFL, that certainly isn't the case with head coach Pete Carroll and his Seattle Seahawks. Even though the Seahawks drafted Kenneth Walker in Round 2 in 2022, and he then went on to lead all rookies in carries (228), rushing yards (1,050) and rushing touchdowns (nine), that didn't stop Carroll and the front office from drafting two new rushers this past weekend. UCLA's Zach Charbonnet went in the second round, like Walker did a year ago, with the 52nd overall pick, and the Seahawks used their final selection on Georgia running back back Kenny McIntosh in Round 7.
Carroll's rationale for double-dipping at the position despite having a promising young RB was about his "respect" of the position and the way running backs factor into the team's physical "mentality."
"I have so much respect for that position and so much regard for what that weighs into our football team and how we play and the mentality and all of that," Carroll said Monday on Seattle Sports Radio's "Bump and Stacy". "It's a really important spot for me, too. We do a nice job. … We've had some terrific guys over the years, and I think we just put this class back together in a really good spot for this position."
DeeJay Dallas was the only other running back on their roster after Walker prior to the draft, and having a below-average rushing attack -- 120.1 rushing yards per game (18th-best in NFL) -- likely didn't sit well with the old-school head coach. Charbonnet's pass-catching ability was one of the main reasons Carroll felt like they had to go get him as early as the second round.
"He's so versatile," Carroll said. "He just will fit in and be a great addition, and really, we're gonna find out how far he can take it in terms of the receiving part of it. We know he's really good at it. But so is Kenneth, so those guys will be battling. And we also went all the way down to get Kenny McIntosh because of his versatility. There's so many positives about these guys."
While Seattle may not have a single earthquake-causing running back like Marshawn Lynch anymore, Carroll clearly believes the trio of Walker, Charbonnet, and McIntosh can have a similar effect and make quarterback Geno Smith's life significantly easier.
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