The Seahawks lost Kenneth Walker, and gained Emanuel Wilson for Mike Macdonald, as the run game will get an overhaul in 2026.
Last season, the Seattle Seahawks' run game was one of the key reasons the offense was able to maintain the rage throughout the year.
The playoff run was led by Kenneth Walker's dominance as the lead back, coupled with Mike Macdonald's defense suffocating opposing quarterbacks.
But free agency has happened. And as expected, Kenneth has moved on, signing with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Coming in, it has been career backup, Emanuel Wilson.
He comes to the NFC West looking to become a starter for Brian Fleury in 2026. Given Zach Charbonnet's ACL injury, which could take him out of the early portion of the season, Wilson might get his shot.
But when looking at the running back room as a whole, with Charbonnet, Wilson, and George Holani, on paper, that doesn't inspire confidence, does it?
Can we expect that trio to give Seattle a top 10 run game in 2026, as it was in 2025 (124.4 yards per game)? You will be hard-pressed to find many who think that.
But for Bleacher Report's Alex Kay, in naming the top running back rooms in football, while Seattle isn't in the top five, he's given it an "honorable mention" alongside the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions.
"With Walker signing with the Kansas City Chiefs and Charbonnet working his way back from a torn ACL suffered in the Divisional Round of the playoffs—plus the loss of offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak—the Seahawks will struggle to replicate their ground-based successes of 2025," Kay wrote.
"While Seattle did help ease the blow of Walker's departure by signing Emmanuel Wilson, the team may still have to use one of its mere four selections in the 2026 draft to address the backfield."
The fact that Kay has the Seattle run game in the same category as the Bills and Lions is a huge feather in the cap of the Seahawks.
With James Cook and Jahmyr Gibbs, both Buffalo and Detroit have stellar run games.
But Seattle? It will be a prove-it year in 2026 for Charbonnet and Co.
Granted, Zach did show in 2025 before his injury how potent he was in the red zone, totaling 12 TDs, to easily lead the Seahawks in that category.
However, there is still a lot of question marks hanging over the run game as we head towards the draft.
It was a strength last season. I'm not so sure about it being one now.