Seattle is opening its title defense the way nobody wants to: down a key contributor before the season even kicks off. Adam Schefter broke the news that the Seahawks placed running back Zach Charbonnet on the Physically Unable to Perform list, which locks him out of at least the first 4 games of the 2026 season.
Seahawks placed RB Zach Charbonnet on the Physically Unable to Perform list, meaning he now will miss at least the first four games this season.
This isn't a surprise so much as it is a formality catching up to reality. Charbonnet tore his ACL during Seattle's Divisional Round playoff win over the 49ers, and surgery to repair it didn't happen until February 20 — a late date that all but guaranteed he wouldn't be ready for Week 1. He was already on the PUP list heading into training camp back in July; Sunday's move to reserve/PUP as part of final roster cuts just makes the 4-game absence official.
Under NFL rules, a player who starts camp on PUP can return to practice at any point, but once he's still on the list at the 53-man cutdown, he's required to sit out a minimum of 4 games before he's even eligible to return. So Charbonnet's earliest possible activation is Week 5 — and that's assuming the knee cooperates on schedule.
Head coach Mike Macdonald sounded optimistic about where things stand, saying Charbonnet is "doing a great job" and has "high expectations for himself" in his rehab. Still, optimism doesn't get a guy on the field, and it leaves Seattle's backfield thinner than it wants to be for a stretch that includes hosting the Wednesday night season opener against the Patriots — their Super Bowl LX opponent — on September 9.
Charbonnet isn't the only Seahawks running back sidelined to start the year, either — Kenny McIntosh is also on the PUP list, meaning Seattle will be leaning on the likes of Emanuel Wilson, George Holani and Jadarian Price to soak up early-season carries while the two rehab. For a defending champ that wants to hit the ground running, literally, this is exactly the kind of hole nobody plans for in August.