The Seattle Seahawks officially placed running back Zach Charbonnet on the physically unable to perform list before the start of training camp, confirming an expected first step in his recovery from a torn ACL.
Charbonnet underwent surgery in February after suffering the injury during Seattle’s divisional-round victory over the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks have not established a public timetable for his return, but his absence creates one of the most consequential competitions of Seattle’s training camp: determining who will lead a rebuilt backfield while Charbonnet remains unavailable.
Mike Macdonald Encouraged by Zach Charbonnet’s Recovery
Charbonnet performed rehabilitation work on the field during Seattle’s offseason program, and head coach Mike Macdonald offered an encouraging assessment of his progress in June.
“He’s doing a great job,” Macdonald said, according to the Seahawks’ official website. “I know he has high expectations for himself, and we’re looking forward to seeing where it ends up.”
Macdonald has avoided committing to a return date. That caution is understandable considering the timing of Charbonnet’s injury and surgery.
The running back tore his ACL on January 17 and underwent surgery the following month. At the NFL annual meeting in March, Macdonald indicated that a season-opening return appeared unlikely but made it clear that Seattle expects Charbonnet to play at some point in 2026.
“Zach’s a great player, he’s not going to miss the whole year,” Macdonald said.
Charbonnet’s eventual return would restore one of the Seahawks’ most productive red-zone weapons. He finished the 2025 regular season with 730 yards on 184 carries and led Seattle with 12 rushing touchdowns. He became the franchise’s first player to record double-digit rushing scores in a season since Marshawn Lynch in 2014.
Jadarian Price Gets an Immediate Seahawks Opportunity
The PUP transaction does not necessarily mean Charbonnet will miss regular-season games. Players placed on active/PUP before camp can be activated and cleared to practice at any time before the regular season.
The more important decision will come when Seattle establishes its initial 53-player roster. Should Charbonnet remain on PUP at that point, he would be required to miss at least four games. Under a rule adopted for 2026, players on reserve/PUP can begin a 21-day practice window after their team’s second regular-season game, potentially allowing them to resume football work before becoming eligible for game action.
Until Charbonnet returns, rookie Jadarian Price will have a significant opportunity to claim the leading role.
Seattle selected the former Notre Dame running back with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. His arrival became especially important after Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III left the Seahawks in free agency and signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Charbonnet had been viewed as Seattle’s presumed starter before suffering the ACL injury.
The Seahawks also signed former Green Bay Packers running back Emanuel Wilson after losing Walker. Wilson gives Seattle an experienced option who can compete with Price and help protect the rookie from immediately carrying the entire workload.
Kenny McIntosh would normally be part of that competition, but he is also opening camp on PUP while recovering from an ACL injury. Charbonnet and McIntosh are joined on Seattle’s PUP list by safety Nick Emmanwori, cornerback Tyrone Broden and defensive tackle Deven Eastern.
Charbonnet’s designation therefore offers little new information about his ultimate return date. It does, however, establish the conditions for Seattle’s backfield competition.
Price and Wilson will receive the valuable first-team work that otherwise could have gone to Charbonnet. How they perform during that opportunity will help determine whether the Seahawks can be patient with Charbonnet’s recovery—or whether his absence becomes one of the offense’s biggest early-season concerns.
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