Seahawks’ Jadarian Price Navigates Early NFL Challenges After High Draft Pick

When the Seattle Seahawks selected running back Jadarian Price with the 32nd overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, leadership emphasized he would not be expected to directly fill the void left by Kenneth Walker III, the reigning Super Bowl MVP.

Walker, now with the Kansas City Chiefs after signing a multiyear free-agent contract, has opened the season in strong form. Through the first three weeks, he leads the league in rushing with 360 yards and remains on pace for his third 1,000-yard campaign in five seasons. His ball security has also been consistent, over 1,120 career touches (including postseason), he has fumbled just three times, never losing one.

Team personnel have expressed collective optimism about Walker’s transition. As Seahawks reserve running back George Holani noted last week, “Everybody is watching, everybody is behind him. We’re all rooting for his success.”

Holani, among others, believes Price is capable of easing the impact of Walker’s departure. The former Notre Dame standout has demonstrated a well-rounded skill set: notable burst, solid hands out of the backfield, and the ability to absorb contact before yielding. Those traits have shown up consistently in his early NFL action.

Yet a recurring concern has followed Price, his history with ball security. At Notre Dame, he fumbled five times across 295 touches, coughing it up four times. That works out to roughly one lost fumble every 59 opportunities. That trend has continued since his professional debut.

Through his first three regular-season games, Price has fumbled twice on 32 touches. One occurred in Sunday’s 33–31 setback against the Washington Commanders. Late in the first half, quarterback Sam Darnold rolled out and delivered a pitch, but Price ran left into traffic before Commanders cornerback Amik Robertson stripped the ball. Washington defensive tackle Tim Settle Jr. recovered.

That turnover proved costly. Four plays later, Washington scored the first of four touchdowns in the contest on a 6-yard pass from backup Marcus Mariota to Rachaad White. The Commanders led from start to finish.

Among the 175 players with at least one rushing attempt this season, 20 have fumbled twice or more. Only five of those are running backs, and each of the five has seen significantly more action than Price, who has received at least 20 additional touches than any of them. Following his most recent fumble, Price was held out for much of the first half before returning to finish with five carries for 15 yards. Seattle’s overall ground game managed just 2.4 yards per attempt across 18 carries.

Price acknowledged the learning opportunity behind the temporary demotion. “I’m trying to get every yard I can,” he said, “but I just need to stay locked in on holding onto the ball.”

Coaches reassured him soon after the fumble that he’d remain in the mix, and he did, though his role was limited in the second half.

His reduced workload underscores a broader concern: Seattle’s thin depth at running back following Walker’s exit. Zach Charbonnet, who led the team with 12 rushing touchdowns last season, remains sidelined after undergoing knee surgery in January. Head coach Mike Macdonald offered no updated timeline on Charbonnet’s return during Monday’s media session, noting he is not yet cleared and remains eligible to debut in Week 5.

With Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet unavailable, Jaxon Smith-Njigba emerged as the primary receiving option for the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Smith-Njigba recorded 10 catches for 128 yards and two touchdowns, while rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s counterpart, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, led the team in receptions. In fact, Smith-Njigba’s performance was the team's best, with five receptions for 48 yards, matching the career-high for AJ Barner and trailing only Smith-Njigba in total catches.

Running back Jaxon Smith-Njigba, however, had a less impactful game. He rushed for just 14 yards on nine attempts, a sharp decline from his previous performance against the Arizona Cardinals, where he gained 92 yards on 21 carries while serving as the backup to an injured teammate.

Head coach Mike Macdonald attributed the limited rushing success to the opposing team’s defensive front, which has allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards in the league this season, totaling 246 yards. Macdonald emphasized that Jaxon Smith-Njigba must improve his ball security if the Seahawks are to maintain their title defense.

Macdonald noted that the team initially benched Smith-Njigba following an early fumble but brought him back after halftime. "If we turn the ball over, it’s not good business," Macdonald stated. "So I know he didn’t come back after the initial fumble. We decided to calm it down and bring him back out after the half. But he’s going to be fine. He’s going to figure it out."

Smith-Njigba himself does not see a fundamental flaw in his running style. Instead, he views the issue as mental, stating that he must move past underwhelming plays rather than dwelling on them.

The coaching staff and players remain supportive, noting that Smith-Njigba is only 22 years old and missed the entire preseason due to a lingering leg injury. With a 2-1 record and 14 games remaining, the Seahawks appear to be positioned for another playoff run as they approach October.

The team has historically relied on the ball security of veterans Walker and Charbonnet, the latter of whom has not fumbled in 527 career touches, including postseason games. While the Seahawks have made it clear since the April draft that they do not expect Smith-Njigba to replicate Walker’s profile, they do hope he will reduce his fumbling rate.

"JD’s such a great dude, and he knows his responsibility," quarterback Jaxon Smith-Njigba said. "He knows not to turn the ball over. So, there’s not much you say to him. You just tell him to keep going, and we got your back."

Macdonald confirmed the team’s continued confidence in the running back: "We’re going to continue to give him the ball. We trust him."