They used a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft to select running back Jadarian Price, but the Seattle Seahawks are still “very, very high” on an unheralded alternative to Price and a surprise potential replacement for Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III.
Price is supposed to be vying with free agent arrival Emanuel Wilson to lead a new-look rushing rotation, but “George Holani is getting first-team reps” during OTAs, according to Will Ortner of Seahawks Today by Chat Sports.
Ortner explained “the Seahawks are very, very high on George Holani,” so fans are urged “to not discount him in this competition to see who is going to be getting a lot of reps for the Seahawks while Zach Charbonnet is out.”
Price should be the undisputed leader in this competition, but Ortner revealed why things may be changing thanks to Holani, who, “right now, is the leader in the clubhouse.”
George Holani Becoming ‘Leader’ in RB Competition
Holani’s offseason surge is a tough early development for rookie Price, but there are mitigating factors. Those factors include Holani having “been with the organization for longer,” per Ortner.
The latter also pointed out “after what we are hearing and what we are seeing from OTAs, George Holani, I don’t think right now, at least in the Seahawks’ eyes, is viewed as RB4. At the very worst, he’s viewed as RB, probably, 1C, 1D, maybe. Because we know Zach Charbonnet, let’s be honest with ourselves, he’s not gonna be here until October. So it’s going to be, it feels like right now, a three-person race to be a part of that two-headed running back monster. There might even be a world where it’s a three-headed running back monster. And no matter what world we’re in, I think George Holani is gonna get a lot of carries.”
Ortner confirmed “George Holani is viewed a lot more favorably in that front office, with the coaching staff, than a lot of other people realise. And what I think is the most important about Holani here, is that he is the ultimate Jack of all trades. He does everything really well. He has good vision, not great vision. He has good speed, not great speed. He has good cutting ability, not great cutting ability, but when you factor all this in, along with his receiving skills, you get a solid, dependable back.”
Being dependable looks like a smart way for Holani to establish and cement his growing status in a backfield that’s in a state of flux since Walker joined the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. The Seahawks relied on Walker to power their Super Bowl push through the playoffs, but the list of replacements is defined more by uncertainty than proven track records.
Seahawks Adapting to Uncertainty About Jadarian Price, Other Running Backs
Holani offers a strong history with the team, but Wilson and Price are newcomers. The latter thrived as a change-of-pace complement alongside dynamic workhorse Jeremiyah Love at Notre Dame, but Price has never been a bell-cow back.
Nor has Wilson, despite the 5-foot-10, 226-pounder showing off some power-running prowess with the Green Bay Packers. He’s supposed to give the Seahawks some Charbonnet-type qualities while the latter continues a necessarily lengthy recovery process after ACL surgery, but Wilson is already touted as a loser in this competition for carries and even a potential cut candidate.
This many question marks in their backfield is why the Seahawks continue to be urged to take a veteran 1,000-yard rusher off what’s left of the free agent market. Making another addition has merit, but only if the Seahawks shared the view some members of the current rotation aren’t up to adequately replacing Walker as the engine of the offense.
As Ortner highlighted, Seahawks general manager John Schneider, head coach Mike Macdonald and new offensive coordinator Brian Fleury appear more positive about Holani.
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