Getty The Seahawks could target Chicago Bears RB David Montgomery in free agency.
The Seattle Seahawks could be a landing spot for one of the top free agent running backs this offseason.
As mentioned by Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus, the Seahawks are considered a landing spot for Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery. Spielberger argues that with Rashaad Penny entering free agency following a broken fibula injury, Seattle could target a more durable back in Montgomery to pair alongside Kenneth Walker.
“The Seahawks and head coach Pete Carroll could try to reunite the tandem of rookie sensation Kenneth Walker III and former first-round pick Rashaad Penny once again, but Montgomery’s durability and prowess as a pass catcher and pass protector could be a really intriguing combination with one of the Offensive Rookie of the Year runner-ups in Walker,” said Spielberger.
Why the Seahawks Need a Second Running Back
The Seahawks certainly already have their starting running back in Walker. After a sensational first-year debut, Walker finished as a runner-up for the Rookie of the Year award. The 22-year-old ran for 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns while starting 11 games following Penny’s season-ending injury. However, one of Walker’s key weaknesses is his lack of versatility, catching just 27 passes for 165 yards. Furthermore, he caught a total of just 19 passes during his collegiate career at Michigan State.
“Walker had 27 receptions as a rookie after just 19 total during his college career,” says Spielberger. “A lack of usage doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of ability, but Walker’s average depth of target this past season was 2.1 yards behind the line of scrimmage, whereas Montgomery has the ability to run a decent route tree out of the backfield or occasionally in the slot. Furthermore, Montgomery’s 71.7 pass-blocking grade over his first four seasons is a top-10 mark among running backs over the span, whereas Walker’s 32.0 pass-blocking grade in 2022 ranked 54th out of 59 qualifying running backs.”
While Montgomery didn’t overly impress with his receiving totals during the 2022 season — 34 catches — he’s certainly capable of it, producing 54 receptions during the 2020 season. He actually ranked sixth among all running backs in the category.
Because Walker isn’t a threat as a receiver out of the backfield and considering the Seahawks might want to keep their young star fresh, adding a complementary running back is absolutely pivotal moving forward.
Montgomery Accustomed to Sharing Backfield
What also helps is the fact that Montgomery is accustomed to playing in two-back backfields. While Montgomery was the lead back in Chicago last season, Khalil Herbert saw a sizable amount of playing time before he suffered a season-ending injury. Herbert carried the ball 129 times in comparison to Montgomery’s 201 attempts.
Montgomery — who has 915 carries over his first four seasons and ranked in the top nine in the NFL in carries in 2020 and 2021 — could use a breather and would benefit from splitting reps with Walker.
As Spielberger notes, the Seahawks’ offense — which already features top-level talent in Geno Smith, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett — could become even better with the addition of Montgomery.
“Pass protection and an expanded role in the passing game are both elements to Walker’s game that could develop with time, but for now, the Seahawks could have a great blend of skill sets in their backfield that could provide them with the ability to utilize a ton of different personnel packages and show a lot of looks to opposing defenses,” says Spielberger.
As the Seahawks look to improve upon their surprising playoff campaign from last season, adding a versatile weapon in Montgomery could lift them to the next level.