The Seattle Seahawks potentially remain in the market to add another running back this offseason. But to begin this week, the team officially locked in one of their own — George Holani.
The Seahawks announced Monday that Holani signed his exclusive rights free agent tender.
“Holani, along with safety Ty Okada, was one of two exclusive rights free agents that the Seahawks tendered earlier this month,” wrote Seahawks.com’s John Boyle. “An exclusive rights free agent is a player whose contract is expiring who has fewer than three accrued seasons.”
Holani ran for 73 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries during the 2025 regular season. He also caught two passes for 15 yards.
In two seasons with the Seahawks, Holani has mostly played on special teams. During Week 2 of 2025, he recovered a muffed kickoff for a touchdown.
According to Spotrac, Holani’s tender is worth $1.075 million for the 2026 season. He will be a restricted free agent next March.
Seahawks RB George Holani Signs ERFA Tender
As Boyle explained, exclusive rights free agents are players who don’t have contracts but haven’t accrued three seasons of service time. Until players spend three seasons in the league, they can’t officially reach free agency unless their current teams don’t offer them a tender.
The Seahawks tendered Holani a 1-year deal in early March. With that offer, Holani’s contract value was set based on league rules.
The running back also wasn’t permitted to negotiate with other teams.
With that in mind, Holani leaving the Seahawks this offseason would have been extremely difficult. But his return became official when he signed the dotted line Monday.
Holani joined the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in May 2024. NFL draft analysts commended the running back for his traits but still saw him as a special teams player if he made a roster.
“Decisive runner with good size and power but a limited ceiling,” wrote NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein. “Holani’s productivity has been solid when he’s been on the field, but durability appears to be a legitimate concern, based upon his injury history.”
But make the Seahawks roster primarily as a special teams player is exactly what Holani did. The running back mostly spent his rookie campaign on the team’s practice squad. In five games, though, he played 36 special teams snaps versus five offensive snaps.
Last season, he lined up for 133 special teams snaps in 11 contests. Holani also played 36 snaps on offense.
Seahawks Running Back Depth for 2026
Every roster move potentially goes under the microscope this time of year with no games. But with the departure of Kenneth Walker in NFL free agency, that’s particularly true for the Seahawks and their backfield.
Holani will return to a Seattle backfield that will be trying to replace the reigning Super Bowl MVP.
The Seahawks signed free agent Emanuel Wilson in NFL free agency. Although some pundits found the move uninspiring, of the running backs currently on Seattle’s roster, Wilson has the best chance of starting in Week 1.
Fellow running back Zach Charbonnet is the front-line starter for the Seahawks when healthy. This offseason, Charbonnet is recovering from a knee injury he sustained during the playoffs.
In addition to Holani, the Seahawks also have running backs Kenny McIntosh, Cam Akers, and Jacardia Wright on their offseason roster.
Additionally, the Seahawks have Velus Jones Jr., who is officially listed as a wide receiver but has more rushing attempts than receptions the past couple seasons.
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