Seattle’s backfield has shifted fast. Kenneth Walker III left the Seahawks in free agency and joined the Kansas City Chiefs at the start of the market, while Zach Charbonnet is now dealing with a season-ending injury.
That is why a trade idea is starting to hang over the Seahawks’ plans. SI.com’s Jeremy Brener suggested Seattle pursue Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift, writing that the backfield is in a state of flux after Walker’s exit and that Swift would give the defending Super Bowl champions a win-now option.
Swift has been productive enough to make that case real. Since coming into the NFL in 2020, he has piled up more than 6,800 yards from scrimmage, and Brener argued that his versatility fits what Seattle needs right now. He also wrote that the Seahawks’ current depth chart is thin, with only Charbonnet, Emanuel Wilson, George Holani and Kenny McIntosh behind the starting spot.
The roster math matters as much as the player. Brener said Seattle has only four draft picks, which could make a mid-round trade for Swift more practical than using the No. 32 pick on a running back. He added that such a move would let the Seahawks trade down from No. 32 instead of forcing a selection there, and it would give Charbonnet more time to recover without being rushed back.
There is still another path, and it came into focus on April 19. Seattle Sports’ Mike Salk said he expects the Seahawks to consider a running back with No. 32, even if that kind of move usually carries risk. He said this year may be different because the pick is No. 32 rather than No. 16, and he argued that the draft board is shallow enough that the club could actually get value there.
Salk said the Seahawks do need help after letting Kenneth Walker go, losing Charbonnet to injury and not having many other players who can handle the ball as often as a starter. He named Jadarian Price as the back he would take at No. 32 if the runner is still available, a sign that Seattle’s options now run from a trade to a first-round gamble. Either way, the Seahawks enter the draft with an unsettled backfield and little margin for delay.