Seahawks to continue splitting reps between Kenneth Walker, Zach Charbonnet

With the Seattle Seahawks' complete offensive overhaul this offseason, they made it very clear that they wanted to fix their ground game.

It's not that the run game was awful last season under former offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, it's that they hardly utilized it. They had the fourth-fewest rushing attempts in the league (383), and often had long stretches where they outright refused to run the ball.

The hiring of new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, a Kyle Shanahan disciple who very much emphasizes the run, was the first indication of the Seahawks' desire to change, but they didn't stop there. They also drafted a first-round guard in Grey Zabel (who will also be a huge asset in pass protection) and a fifth-round fullback in Robbie Ouzts, showing that they were serious about improving the ground game.

Unfortunately, the rushing attack didn't exactly leave a good first impression in Sunday's season opener against the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks rushed for a measly 84 yards on the day, but perhaps more importantly, averaged just 3.2 yards per carry.

Despite that, there's no plans to make any major changes, at least not yet.

Mike Macdonald confirms Seahawks will maintain running back by committee approach

Sep 7, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) run sthe ball during the first half against San Francisco 49ers at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

During an appearance on Seattle Sports radio, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald shared that the team will continue to split reps between Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet despite Sunday's performance.

"Both played well... Both guys are playing well," Macdonald said. "Protected our quarterback... There's going to be more opportunities for both of them moving forward."

#Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald on @SeattleSports on RBs Kenneth Walker, Zach Charbonnet vs 49ers: Walker, Charbonnet:

“Both played well...Both guys are playing well. Protected our quarterback...

"There’s going to be more opportunities for both of them moving forward."
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) September 8, 2025

There may more underlying factors at play, but neither Walker nor Charbonnet were particularly productive on Sunday. Charbonnet at least had an OK day with 12 carries for 47 yards (3.9 per attempt) and a touchdown, but Walker finished with a miserable stat line of 10 carries for 20 yards (two yards per attempt, obviously). It only added more fuel to the fire for those who think Charbonnet will eventually take over as the team's top back.

The 49ers deserve credit for shutting down the Seahawks' rushing attack, but it's clear that Seattle has plenty of work to do in that department. How they choose to do it, though, remains to be seen.

Mike Macdonald confirms Seahawks will maintain running back by committee approach

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