The Seattle Seahawks are preparing for the 2023 NFL season with high expectations after exceeding their expectations in 2022. In the first year behind Geno Smith, many believed that the Seahawks would really struggle. In reality, Smith thrived on his way to becoming the AP Comeback Player of the Year. He led the Seahawks to a playoff appearance and in turn netted a massive contract this NFL offseason. Going into 2023, Smith and the Seahawks are now expected to be competitors in a tough NFC West, and they definitely have the talent on offense to put up a lot of points. Returning for Seattle is Smith, Kenneth Walker III, DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Noah Fant. Along with these guys are rookies Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Zach Charbonnet; overall, the Seahawks are loaded with talent for Geno Smith to use at his disposal. Despite the excitement, Seahawks training camp has already caused some setbacks, as injuries to both Walker III and Charbonnet now have the Seattle RB room in flux. This is why there are three free agent running backs in particular that the Seahawks need to target during training camp. Before the 2023 NFL regular season begins, the Seahawks need to target Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, and Kareem Hunt.
Both the injuries to Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet don't figure to be serious as of now, but it is not a good sign to start training camp. If the Seahawks start the regular season without their running back room ready, it would be prudent of them to get in contact with one of the remaining free agent running backs. Elliott, Fournette and Hunt are all proven veteran running backs who could fit in pretty seamlessly into the Seahawks system. Not to mention, Elliott and Fournette are 28-years-old while Hunt is 27-years-old, so they still have plenty of good football left to give the game. While the Seahawks allow Walker III and Charbonnet to nurse their injuries, they need to reach out to free agent running backs Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette and Kareem Hunt.
*Free Agents via Spotrac
Ezekiel Elliott
Ezekiel Elliott clearly lost a step last season as he ceded carries to Tony Pollard on the Dallas Cowboys. This culminated with the Cowboys releasing him this summer, and he has had a pretty quiet free agency thus far. Nevertheless, the injuries to the Seahawks running back room has definitely freed up an opportunity for him in Seattle. Despite his less productive year last season, Elliott still has the potential to be a bruiser and earn the tough yards. This would be big for a Seattle team that expects to be very explosive in both the passing and running games; adding a back like Elliott would help them maintain a balance within their offensive system so that they don't get too greedy trying to go for the big play. Elliott would also be a great back to mentor both Walker and Charbonnet, as he was once considered the best running back in the league. He would easily be able to give Walker and Charbonnet some tips and tricks that could propel them to elite status.
Leonard Fournette
The main reason that the Seahawks should target Leonard Fournette is his playoff success. Like Elliott, Fournette has been one of the best at running between the tackles and could help the Seahawks maintain a balanced offense. Nevertheless, he would be more important for his veteran leadership that could be a huge asset for a team that has playoff aspirations. Fournette is a Super Bowl winner and has played the best football of his career in the postseason, so he would definitely help in getting the Seahawks focused for the postseason and ready to play if they were to find themselves in elimination football. While the Seahawks continue to monitor what is best for Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, Leonard Fournette should definitely be a free agent target for them.
Kareem Hunt
Kareem Hunt is a great target for the Seahawks specifically because of his style of play. Hunt plays very similarly to both Walker III and Charbonnet; big running backs who excel in both the passing and rushing game and are much faster than expected. Not to mention, Hunt has been elite when given the opportunity to be a primary back, and there is no saying that he wouldn't be if the Seahawks signed him. The 27-year-old back had very strong flashes with the Cleveland Browns but was never unleashed due to the presence of Nick Chubb on the roster. If Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet end up missing regular season games, Kareem Hunt could come in and help the Seahawks not even skip a beat. Out of all the free agent running backs available, Kareem Hunt is definitely a strong target for the Seahawks.
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