The Seattle Seahawks have lost another promising young running back to injury. With Zach Charbonnet already out, Seattle got the news that 1st-round pick Jadarian Price will now miss extended time. Price was placed on injured reserve with a chest injury and will miss a minimum of four weeks. The injury is not expected to be season-ending.
Bucking the Trend, Investing in Running Back
Some critics were surprised when Seattle selected Jadarian Price in the first round, even with pick 32. Seattle had invested heavily at running back in recent history, including selecting two backs in both rounds 1 and 2 since 2018: Rashad Penny RD 1 2018, Kenneth Walker RD 2 2022, Zach Charbonnet RD 2 2023, and Jadarian Price RD 1 2026. In a time when most other teams are shying away from selecting running backs in the first two rounds, Seattle is bucking the trend.
A total of 39 running backs have been selected in the first two rounds of the NFL draft since 2018. Four of those players were selected by the Seattle Seahawks in a league with 31 other teams; the Seahawks have accounted for over 10% of the total running backs selected over the last eight seasons. When you look at the recent results, Seattle is fresh off a Super Bowl win in which they leaned on two running backs they selected in round two in back-to-back seasons.
Walker and Charbonnet combined to produce 405 carries for 1,757 yards, and 17 touchdowns on the ground, as well as 51 receptions on 60 targets for 426 yards. Since being selected the pair racked up 7,014 total yards and 53 touchdowns prior to 2026.
First Round Pick to Replenish Running Back
With Walker leaving via free agency, the Seahawks hoped they could duplicate that success by plugging in Jadarian Price. Part of this strategy is that in theory having two backs to utilize allows you to keep them healthier throughout the season. Unfortunately for Price, and Seattle they have not had the opportunity to see how Price and Charbonnet will work together.
Charbonnet is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in the NFC Divisional game, and Price was instead paired with Emmanuel Wilson who has played well as the lead back. Now with Price headed to injured reserve, and Charbonnet on Physically Unable to Perform the Seahawks had to make a move to add high-quality depth at running back.
This led to two moves at the position; attempting to sign free agent Joe Mixon, and signing Robert Henry Jr. to their active roster from Washington’s practice squad.
This was actually a clever move on two fronts. First, let’s talk about Robert Henry Jr. and why he is a sneaky good addition, and why signing him and attempting to bring in Mixon made sense.
Robert Henry Jr. Could be a Diamond in the Rough
Robert Henry Jr. is a 5’10 205 pound back that attended Jones College for two seasons. He started by being the second leading rusher in 2021 averaging 6.1 yards per carry on 81 touches accumulating 495 yards and 6 touchdowns, while adding 4 receptions for 50 yards and 1 touchdown. Seeing how explosive he could be, the staff for Jones College doubled down in 2022.
Henry Jr. saw a 300+% uptick in his offensive touches from 2021 to 2022. Going from 81 carries and 4 receptions to 237 carries, and 19 receptions in a single season. Even while taking on nearly 3 times as many carries he maintained a 5.5-yard-per-carry average, and found the end zone 18 times. All said and done Henry Jr. left Jones College with the second most rushing yards in a single season; he was also named NCJAA Offensive Player of the Year.
Upon arriving at UTSA it was a similar story. By this point, Henry Jr. had added 11 pounds to settle in at 205 lbs. Adding the weight allowed him to run with a bit more power and aided him in breaking arm tackles. Ultimately much like at Jones he was not immediately a starter, but after a year in the program, he became the top back. Going from 0 starts in 2023, to starting 21 games out of 22 appearances the next two seasons.
2023: 13 games, 0 starts
127 car, 588 yds, 4.6 ypc, 11 tds
19 rec, 115 yds
2024: 11 games, 10 starts
130 car, 706 yds, 5.4 ypc, 7 tds
21 rec, 199 yds, 1 td
2025: 11 games, 11 starts
151 car, 1,045 yds, 6.9 ypc, 9 tds
18 rec, 114 yds, 2 tds
It was as if each year Henry Jr. continued to get better, averaging more yards per carry for 3 seasons straight. He set a career high in 2025. Rushing for over 1,000 yards on just 151 carries. After college Henry Jr. backed up his college production with a solid showing at his pro day.
40-yard dash 4.52 sec
10-yard split 1.56 sec
20-yard shuttle 4.10 sec
3-cone drill 7.10 sec
Vertical 37 in
Broad Jump 10 ft, 5 in
Bench Press 17 reps
These numbers reiterated what he did on film but it wasn’t enough to get him drafted in 2026. Regardless having to prove himself is nothing new to Robert Henry Jr., signing with the Washington Commanders immediately after the draft. He attended training camp and appeared in all 3 preseason games showing flashes of his ability but also struggling at times. He would finish with 26 carries for 105 yards, 1 td, and 2 receptions, for 6 yards. He also lost 1 fumble.
His best performance came in a 20-7 win over Miami when he rushed 12 times for 75 yards or 6.2 yards per carry. Now after four weeks, Seattle signs Henry Jr. to their active roster.
The Seahawks saw value in bringing Henry Jr in and it is very likely they are betting on his potential in the short term, while hedging their bets by exploring the option of bringing in Joe Mixon to the practice squad.
Joe Mixon: Failed Physical Puts an End to a Return
Mixon has been away from football since being released by Houston following the 2024 season. He was not sitting on a roster having gone through training camp, etc. They saw what shape he was in via a workout before putting him through a physical with the intention to sign him. He would have needed a few weeks to get back into the swing of things. Seattle viewed Mixon as a player with a safe and reliable floor from an aging veteran that likely was going to cost somewhere in the $2-4 million range for 1 season, although that number is not yet public, and is based on his $7 million salary with Houston in 2025.
Mixon has not played in an NFL game since January 5th, 2025 when he saw 11 snaps which amounted to 18%. Dameon Pierce, and Dare Ogunwale both played more. It has been 21 months since Mixon last played in an NFL game. Make no mistake it was a long shot for him to return to his 1,000-yard form of 2024.
Seattle was likely hoping Henry Jr. came in and lit it up as the plus 1 to Emmanuel Wilson. Making it a possibility to pair him with Charbonnet when he returns. When both return at some point Henry Jr will not be a burden to keep as an active roster depth piece due to his ability to contribute on special teams.
Another course of action could be trying to stash him on the practice squad once again, but that is only likely to happen if he doesn’t impress in his snaps behind Wilson. In that scenario, Velus Jones Jr. might be the back they choose to send to the practice squad.
Currently, Seattle also has George Holani, and Velus Jones Jr on the roster. Holani is not the most efficient runner so far with a career average of 3.3 yards per carry. Velus Jones was previously a wide receiver who was moved to running back by Chicago. The Seahawks also like his potential. This appears to be not only an indication of their health, but possibly an admission that it is time to find a more productive 3rd/4th option behind Price, Charbonnet, and Wilson; whether that is Jones or Henry remains to be seen.
Seattle has employed a running back-by-committee approach for years, but now they have to build out a backfield on the fly by finding talented players where they can. Currently that depth chart features:
Emanuel Wilson – 2023 UDFA
George Holani – 2024 UDFA
Velus Jones Jr. – 2022 3rd-round pick at WR
Robert Henry Jr. – 2026 UDFA
Hoping Something Sticks at Running Back
This is essentially the throw noodles at a wall until they stick method. Throw four previously unheralded players into the fire and see if anyone can set themselves apart as they work their way closer to Charbonnet’s, and Price’s eventual return. Honestly, we have seen this approach work in the past, and an argument could be made that it will work again for Seattle.
Emanuel Wilson through 4 games even though he only has 1 start, leads the team in carries, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns, but he is also only averaging 3.6 yards per carry. It was Price who was leading the team in yards per carry in the backfield with 4.2. Holani is also averaging 3.2 yards per carry, but holds value as a receiver and on special teams.
Velus Jones has 197 rushing yards in the NFL and 154 of those came while he was still technically playing wide receiver in his first two seasons. He has been active for 3 weeks now and has not logged an offensive touch or returned any kicks or punts. Jones’ role on the roster is precarious at best.
That’s what makes Robert Henry Jr. the intriguing piece of this puzzle. He has the size to run most of the power run game that Seattle likes to run but also the burst to break big gains if the blocking is there. He has all the talent needed to be a breakout candidate. Astute fantasy football owners have likely already signed him.
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