Seahawks RBs Training Camp Preview: Bold Predictions, Projected Depth Chart
RENTON, Wash. - Throughout his renowned career at the college and NFL level, Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll hasn't been a stranger when it comes to finding success platooning two primary ball carriers out of the backfield.
While Carroll has had his share of bell cow running backs such as Curtis Martin and Marshawn Lynch, many of his best teams over the years have had multiple threats at the position. At USC, Sultan McCullough and Justin Fargas each ran for over 700 yards in 2002, giving way to the celebrated duo of Reggie Bush and LenDale White the following season. The Trojans also have a quality tandem of Joe McKnight and Stafon Johnson from 2007 to 2009.
Once he returned to the pros with the Seahawks in 2010, Lynch and Justin Forsett reunited as complementary backs after previously playing together at California and the two players helped the team pull off a historic wild card upset over the Saints. After "Beast Mode" retired and went to the Raiders via trade, Chris Carson, Mike Davis, and Rashaad Penny formed a three-headed monster for the No. 1 rushing attack in the NFL in 2018.
Fast forwarding to the present, even after dynamic runner Ken Walker III finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year balloting last season, Carroll looks ready to execute such a blueprint again in Seattle.
While some experts and fans chastised the selection in April, the Seahawks used a high draft pick on a running back for a second straight year, this time investing the 52nd overall pick in UCLA star Zach Charbonnet. Pairing the powerful, downhill 220-pound runner with the explosive home run-hitting Walker, Carroll has visions of a thunder and lightning backfield partnership similar to Bush and White nearly two decades ago.
"He’s going to be right in there with Ken," Carroll told reporters shortly after Seattle drafted Charbonnet. "It’s going to take both guys to get the workload with some help from DeeJay [Dallas]. I really like the versatility because he can block, can catch the ball out of the backfield, he’s good in the screen game, he makes big plays, and he’s been the workhorse, so I think he will be a great complement to Ken. I got Ken on the phone just to talk to him about that, how much we see them fitting together. I’m pretty excited about this one.”
While much of the NFL has devalued running backs in recent years, the Seahawks have regularly drafted runners in early rounds, continuing to prioritize the position and running the football as a foundation for their offense. With Charbonnet and seventh-round pick Kenny McIntosh joining Walker and Dallas, the team should have one of the best backfield groups in the entire league in 2023.
Of course, having that much talent immediately creates questions about how Seattle will get all four players involved and how playing time will be divvied out.
But for those concerned about Charbonnet's arrival having a negative impact on Walker's value and production, Carroll raved about the second-year back's offseason during OTAs. After becoming only the second player in franchise history to rush for over 1,000 yards as a rookie, though his snap count may be impacted a bit with the rookie entering the fray, playing a bit less should prevent overuse and keep him fresh, maximizing his effectiveness as the Seahawks lead back.
"It would be hard to elaborate on the offseason that he's had," Carroll said. "He's worked so hard with the receivers. He's worked full speed day after day, after day. His confidence, his explosiveness, his quickness, his ability to run the routes and catch the ball. He's doing everything. He's catching punts. He's catching kickoffs. He's doing everything he can possibly do, and he's having a blast. His attitude and spirit is just such a great compliment too, coming off the season that he had."
With Walker's speed and elusiveness posing problems for opposing defenses, Charbonnet should make an instant impact as a change of pace hammer out of the backfield. Demonstrating excellent contact balance and power consistently breaking through tackles, the 220-pound runner eclipsed 1,300 rushing yards, averaged an impressive seven yards per carry, and scored 14 touchdowns on the ground as a senior for the Bruins, earning All-Pac 12 First-Team distinction.
Out of the gate, Charbonnet's strengths running between the tackles naturally should make him well-equipped to handle short yardage and goal line duties for Seattle. But after catching more than 60 passes over the past two years and regularly ripping off 20-plus yard runs, he's far from only a situational back, offering the well-rounded skill set and plus-athletic traits of a modern every down back that will serve him well vying for snaps alongside Walker.
Behind the complementary combo of Walker and Charbonnet, Dallas shouldn't be forgotten as a viable backfield weapon either. While he didn't score any touchdowns last year, he caught 17 passes and averaged a healthy 5.3 yards per carry, performing at a high level when subbing in late in the season along with continuing to get the job done as a core special teams contributor.
Entering the final year of his contract, Dallas will have to fend off a motivated McIntosh, who has a massive chip on his shoulder after falling to the final round of April's draft. One of college football's best all-around backs last season at Georgia, he finished seventh in the country in receptions by a running back and second in receiving yardage, displaying ideal tools for an NFL third down back.
Looking at the depth chart as a whole, Carroll can't wait to see how things unfold during camp, including a third down back competition that could go down to the wire with three players battling for the role. Already loaded with a top-flight passing attack, with reps up for grabs in an uber-competitive group anchored by Walker and Charbonnet, he hopes to see a backfield stable featuring a wide array of unique skill sets take the Seahawks offense to a whole other level in 2023.
If everything works out according to plan, it could feel like 2005 all over again for Carroll and company with a loaded backfield arsenal conjuring up memories of USC's magical group that dominated college football.
"We’ll have to see how it plays its way out. We’ll wait and see. The versatility is awesome. We know we’re not restricted at all with these guys."
Projected Depth Chart
Competition to Watch
Dallas vs. McIntosh: Considering the injury attrition at the running back position, Dallas and McIntosh should both get chances to play significant snaps on offense at some point this season. But the pathway to consistent reps behind Walker and Charbonnet lies on third down, where the Seahawks will be looking to replace Travis Homer, who signed with the Bears in free agency.
When given opportunities to play, Dallas has been an effective back, particularly in the passing game where his prior background as a receiver stands out. For his career, he has caught north of 88 percent of his targets and only has dropped one pass, proving to be exceptionally reliable. After struggling mightily in pass protection as a rookie, he has improved exponentially in that area over his past two seasons, allowing only two pressures on 37 pass blocking reps according to Pro Football Focus.
But even after a disappointing combine workout in February, McIntosh may be the more dynamic playmaker in comparison to his veteran counterpart. Along with rushing for 824 yards and producing 467 yards after contact as a senior at Georgia, he caught 42 out of 49 targets and averaged 12.1 yards per reception with no drops, emerging as one of the premier pass catching backs in the nation while seeing 30 snaps out wide in the slot.
In an exciting battle between two players with much different strengths, the third down competition between Dallas and McIntosh may boil down to which player impresses the most in pass protection, but pass catching production in the preseason will also go a long way towards determining a winner.
Wild Card
McIntosh: Statistically, McIntosh had one of the more impressive all-around seasons in college football last season at the running back position. But somehow, in part due to a slower than expected 40-yard dash time, he tumbled into day three of the NFL draft and his free fall continued until the Seahawks selected him with the 237th overall pick in the seventh round. Understandably, the player felt slighted given his contributions for the two-time defending national champions and now has a vendetta against the teams who passed on him.
Though he's a bit smaller than Seattle's other backs, McIntosh still checks in at 210 pounds and he's a more physical runner than advertised, averaging 3.3 yards after contact for his college career. Add in his elite hands as a pass catcher and capable blitz pickup skills and he could force his way into the conversation for playing time on offense more than expected as a rookie.
Bold Predictions
1. While seeing a decrease in play time percentage with Charbonnet in the mix, Walker explodes for more than 1,200 yards and pushes for a rushing title.
By selecting Charbonnet, many have jumped the gun concluding that his presence could significantly limit Walker's touches out of the backfield. But as long as he remains healthy, there's no way Seattle will handcuff one of the best young backs in the league and assuming the offense improves at sustaining drives compared to a year ago with more third down conversions, he should come close to the 17 touches per game he averaged as a rookie. With an offensive line that should be much improved in front of him, expect massive numbers from the explosive playmaker.
2. Charbonnet, not McIntosh or Dallas, leads all of Seattle's running backs in receptions and receiving yardage.
As Carroll suggested during draft weekend, Charbonnet has the tools to throw himself into the third down role conversation with Dallas and McIntosh. After being seldom used as a receiver in his first two college seasons at Michigan, he became an integral part of UCLA's passing game, catching 60 out of 69 targets for 501 yards and nearly eight yards per reception. Dynamic with the ball in his hands after the catch on traditional routes as well as screens, don't be surprised to see the Seahawks call his number as a receiver with regular frequency regardless of down and situation.
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