The Seattle Seahawks are beginning to envision Zach Charbonnet getting back on the practice field.
Head coach Mike Macdonald surfaced an update yet on the fourth-year running back Friday, saying Seattle is closing in on a date for Charbonnet to resume practicing as he works back from the torn ACL he suffered during last season’s divisional-round win over the San Francisco 49ers.
“Zach’s doing great,” Macdonald said, via Seahawks.com’s Sept. 18 injury update. “We’re getting down to him possibly finding a date where he can start practicing again. That’s coming soon. When that exact date is, we haven’t finalized that yet, but it’s coming soon.”
Charbonnet remains on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and must miss Seattle’s first four games. A new NFL rule, however, means he no longer has to wait until that four-game absence is complete before getting back onto the practice field.
New NFL Rule Opens Door for Charbonnet
The NFL approved a bylaw change this offseason allowing players on reserve/PUP to begin a 21-day practice period after their team’s second regular-season game.
Under the new rule, Charbonnet can begin practicing after Seattle faces the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2, provided the team’s medical staff clears him.
He still can’t be activated for a game until after the Seahawks have played four times, making Week 5 against San Francisco his first possible regular-season return.
There’s no guarantee Charbonnet will be ready that quickly, and Macdonald has avoided setting a public game target throughout the recovery process.
His wording Friday, though, at least has the head coach thinking of a practice date return.
It also builds on an solid update from earlier this month when Macdonald said Charbonnet had an “aggressive timetable” in mind and remained on target for it, per an NBC Sports report.
Charbonnet tore his ACL in Seattle’s divisional-round victory over San Francisco in January and subsequently landed on injured reserve.
Seahawks Have Much Waiting for Charbonnet
Seattle knows what it can regain when Charbonnet is cleared.
The former second-round pick produced career highs with 184 carries, 730 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 16 regular-season appearances last season, via his official Seahawks career statistics.
The 12 rushing scores also made him the first Seattle player since 2014 to reach double digits in that category.
His eventual return would add an experienced, physical option to a backfield that underwent noticeable change during the offseason.
The Seahawks moved on from Kenneth Walker III in free agency, putting additional pressure on their younger options while Charbonnet rehabilitates his knee. Rookie Jadarian Price entered the season with an opportunity to install himself in Seattle’s new-look rotation.
Charbonnet’s progress could give Macdonald and the offensive staff an intriguing decision over how to divide running back carries.
As of late, Seattle has no reason to rush the final stage of a recovery from a significant knee injury. Simply getting Charbonnet back onto the practice field would represent an important checkpoint.
And the new PUP rule gives Seattle a shot to evaluate how his knee responds to football activity before he becomes eligible to play.
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