Hanich Panic: Jadarian Price Looks Like a Bust for Seahawks

Week 3 was a great opportunity for rookie running back Jadarian Price to rebound for the Seattle Seahawks. Price had a chance to show he is one of the top young offensive players in the league against the Washington Commanders. Instead, Price had one of the worst performances in his career with 15 yards on five carries. His fumble helped give the Commanders their first touchdown of the game.

The Seahawks lost 33-31 for their first loss of the season. Price is part of the Seahawks' rushing offense, where the team was one-dimensional. The biggest problem is that Price was drafted in the first round (32nd overall pick) to continue the production of Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III. Price, however, is entering early bust territory after only three games.

Why There Should Be Concern for Price

Jadarian Price in the Week 3 loss to the Washington Commanders. — Sep 27, 2026; Landover, Maryland, USA; Washington Commanders linebacker Sonny Styles (52) deflects a pass intended for Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price (8) at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Through the two games of the season, Price rushed for 104 yards on 23 carries. Six of his carries gave Seattle first downs. He had a good start in Week 1 against the New England Patriots, but many of his carries were used to get backup quarterback Drew Lock comfortable with the offense. He had more carries in the Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals, but a combination of his fumble and his minor shoulder injury.

Price went into Week 3 with a full-go by head coach Mike Macdonald. He struggled to get to the line of scrimmage on a few plays. When he encountered his second fumble in the second drive of the game, the coaching staff decided to bench him for over two quarters.

It was at that point that the coaches determined Price was more of a liability than a helpful player. Seattle turned to Emanuel Wilson and George Holani, who are much slower and not as explosive. This is concerning when a first-round pick is more of a problem than a solution.

How Price Can Turn it for the Seahawks

Jadarian Price in the Week 1 win over the New England Patriots. — Sep 9, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Jadarian Price (8) runs during the second quarter against the New England Patriots at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When a young player performs this badly, it can usually serve as motivation for them to strive to play better. Walker only rushed for 58 yards and no touchdowns on 15 carries in the first three games of his career in the 2022 NFL Season. This helped Walker strive to play much better in his rookie season. Price can strive to be that same player for a Super Bowl-contending team even with the ugly loss to the Commanders.

Price will get more chances to prove himself with a highly talented Seahawks offense and a stout offensive line. Macdonald will challenge his team after the bad performances across the board, including the backfield. First-year offensive coordinator Brian Fleury will challenge the running backs after the Seahawks rushed for 44 yards on 18 carries as a team in the loss.

Price won’t get many more second chances as the Seahawks are hoping to get veteran running back Zach Charbonnet back after fully recovering from an ACL tear in January. The more Price continues to slip, the more the coaching staff will turn to Charbonnet for the majority of the carries. Charbonnet is also in the final year of his rookie contract, which means he is pushing for a big deal, potentially with the Seahawks.

Hanich Panic Meter: 7

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