Mariner Talk Chat Forum

By Bob Condotta
Seattle Times staff reporter
The Seahawks added to their running back room Thursday by reaching an agreement to sign free agent Emanuel Wilson of the Green Bay Packers, a source confirmed to The Seattle Times.

The Seahawks lost Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to a three-year deal to the Kansas City Chiefs and also are unclear when Zach Charbonnet will be able to return from surgery last month to repair a knee injury.

The NFL Network reported that he agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $2.1 million. Wilson was not tendered by the Packers earlier this week as a restricted free agent which means he will not count against the Seahawks in the formula for determining compensatory draft picks in 2027. Seattle is currently projected to get four as compensation for free agents who have signed elsewhere.

The 5-foot-10, 226-pound Wilson, 26, rushed for 496 yards on 125 carries with the Packers last season and has 1,083 on 242 carries for a 4.5 average and seven touchdowns in his three-year career.

He is the second external free agent to agree to a deal with the Seahawks following safety Rodney Thomas II.

Wilson signed with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2023 after playing the final three seasons of his college career at Division II Fort Valley State but was then waived in May. He then signed with the Packers and made the team’s 53-man roster in 2023 after rushing for 223 yards in the preseason.

He played sparingly as a rookie but has been a regular in the Packers’ running back rotation the last two years and serving as a backup to Josh Jacobs.

He started two games last season in place of Jacobs, including a 23-6 win over the Vikings on Nov. 23 when he rushed for a career-high 107 yards on 28 carries with two touchdowns.


“Josh is going to be our guy, and we’re always going to try and maximize his reps, for sure, but it’s nice to have a guy like Emanuel that can go in there and do a really good job for us,” Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said last season of Wilson, via Packers.com “The biggest thing is just him playing with that confidence that he plays with. When he gets the ball, you can feel him.”

Wilson also rushed for 82 yards on 14 carries in Green Bay’s 22-16 overtime loss against the Bears in Chicago on Dec. 20.

Wilson also has 30 receptions for 170 yards and a touchdown in his career.



Wilson ranked 25th in the NFL last year in yards per contact per attempt with 3.06, according to Pro Football Focus.

A native of Charlotte, Wilson started all 17 games he appeared in at Fort Valley State in 2021-21 with 2,206 yards and 24 TDs on 356 carries and an average per carry of 6.2 yards. He also had 35 receptions for 330 yards (9.4 avg.) and two TDs.

Wilson is now the seventh running back on Seattle’s roster along with Charbonnet, George Holani, Kenny McIntosh, Cam Akers, Velus Jones Jr. and Jacardia Wright.

The Seahawks, though, are likely not done adding to the running back position, especially with the uncertainty over the return of Charbonnet, as they could look to take one in the draft, which will be held April 23-25.

Wilson was not tendered by the Packers earlier this week as a restricted free agent which means he will not count against the Seahawks in the formula for determining compensatory draft picks in 2027. Seattle is currently projected to get four as compensation for free agents who have signed elsewhere

The Seahawks could have gone out and signed a player with more starting experience, like Najee Harris or Kareem Hunt. However, the team is bringing Wilson into the fold, which means there is a good chance the team will target the potential starting running back in the draft next month

Donn Beach wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 12, 2026 11:24 pm

Wilson was not tendered by the Packers earlier this week as a restricted free agent which means he will not count against the Seahawks in the formula for determining compensatory draft picks in 2027. Seattle is currently projected to get four as compensation for free agents who have signed elsewhere

I brought that up, I think it probably played into the strategy. Sounds like they could be getting Charb back sooner than expected. It's about risk management. Put together a decent rb room this season around a charbonnet return. Next season you still have your cap room and twelve picks in what's a better draft I imagine.
That to me is how to build a dynasty.

I meant to post an ESPN comment about JS, what sets him apart from other GMs. Its his ability to look forward, he doesn't look back. He's willing to move on from players. You look at the players he's been willing to move, it's pretty remarkable actually. And he has had so much success at it.

How and When Do Most Athletes Return

It is helpful to consider the track record of other athletes’ road to recovery following ACL reconstruction. Traditional wisdom holds that athletes return to sport within 6-12 months of an ACL injury. However, recent studies have turned this idea on its head.


One study evaluated 187 amateur and competitive athletes with ACL injuries and found that only 31% returned to the sport in the first 12 months, and that number only climbed to 60% at 24-months post-surgery.2 Another multicenter study examined the question with a specific focus on football. Researchers contacted 147 high school and collegiate football players and found similar return-to-play rates in both groups two years post-surgery—63% and 69%, respectively. However, only 43% of the players interviewed believed they returned to previous self-reported levels of performance; 27% felt that they never reached their pre-surgery performance and 30% were unable to return at all. Surprisingly, fear of re-injury or further damage to the knee was cited as the most common reason that players did not return to play.3 This study highlights two important facts: 1) return-to-play rates for football players are not as high as one might expect, and 2) psychological factors, particularly fear of re-injury, play a key role in athletes’ return to sport.

Donn Beach wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 12, 2026 11:48 pm

That makes sense to me, the potential starter is yet to be acquired

The Seahawks could have gone out and signed a player with more starting experience, like Najee Harris or Kareem Hunt. However, the team is bringing Wilson into the fold, which means there is a good chance the team will target the potential starting running back in the draft next month

Key 2026 Running Back Draft Projections
Round 1: Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) is widely considered the top prospect, with Sports Illustrated projecting him as a top-10 selection.
Day 2 (Rounds 2-3): This area is expected to be loaded with talent. Key names include Nicholas Singleton (Penn State), Jonah Coleman (Washington), and Jadarian Price (Notre Dame).
Mid-to-Late Rounds (Rounds 4-7): Several other backs are projected to be drafted, including Demond Claiborne (Wake Forest), Kaytron Allen (Penn State), CJ Baxter (Texas), and Justice Haynes (Michigan).

D-train wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 13, 2026 12:08 am

Donn Beach wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 12, 2026 11:24 pm

Wilson was not tendered by the Packers earlier this week as a restricted free agent which means he will not count against the Seahawks in the formula for determining compensatory draft picks in 2027. Seattle is currently projected to get four as compensation for free agents who have signed elsewhere

I brought that up, I think it probably played into the strategy. Sounds like they could be getting Charb back sooner than expected. It's about risk management. Put together a decent rb room this season around a charbonnet return. Next season you still have your cap room and twelve picks in what's a better draft I imagine.
That to me is how to build a dynasty.

I meant to post an ESPN comment about JS, what sets him apart from other GMs. Its his ability to look forward, he doesn't look back. He's willing to move on from players. You look at the players he's been willing to move, it's pretty remarkable actually. And he has had so much success at it.

How and When Do Most Athletes Return

It is helpful to consider the track record of other athletes’ road to recovery following ACL reconstruction. Traditional wisdom holds that athletes return to sport within 6-12 months of an ACL injury. However, recent studies have turned this idea on its head.


One study evaluated 187 amateur and competitive athletes with ACL injuries and found that only 31% returned to the sport in the first 12 months, and that number only climbed to 60% at 24-months post-surgery.2 Another multicenter study examined the question with a specific focus on football. Researchers contacted 147 high school and collegiate football players and found similar return-to-play rates in both groups two years post-surgery—63% and 69%, respectively. However, only 43% of the players interviewed believed they returned to previous self-reported levels of performance; 27% felt that they never reached their pre-surgery performance and 30% were unable to return at all. Surprisingly, fear of re-injury or further damage to the knee was cited as the most common reason that players did not return to play.3 This study highlights two important facts: 1) return-to-play rates for football players are not as high as one might expect, and 2) psychological factors, particularly fear of re-injury, play a key role in athletes’ return to sport.

D-train wrote: ↑

Fri Mar 13, 2026 12:19 am

Donn Beach wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 12, 2026 11:48 pm

That makes sense to me, the potential starter is yet to be acquired

The Seahawks could have gone out and signed a player with more starting experience, like Najee Harris or Kareem Hunt. However, the team is bringing Wilson into the fold, which means there is a good chance the team will target the potential starting running back in the draft next month

Both Walker and Charb were second round picks that took multiple seasons to be truly productive but our new RB1 for this season is going to be a late day 2 pick. Singleton is expected to be a backup and Price who is projected to eventually be a starter.

And thank GOD we are the only one out of 32 teams that might be want to draft a RB in the 2nd or 3rd round.

Key 2026 Running Back Draft Projections
Round 1: Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) is widely considered the top prospect, with Sports Illustrated projecting him as a top-10 selection.
Day 2 (Rounds 2-3): This area is expected to be loaded with talent. Key names include Nicholas Singleton (Penn State), Jonah Coleman (Washington), and Jadarian Price (Notre Dame).
Mid-to-Late Rounds (Rounds 4-7): Several other backs are projected to be drafted, including Demond Claiborne (Wake Forest), Kaytron Allen (Penn State), CJ Baxter (Texas), and Justice Haynes (Michigan).

Recent second-round NFL draft picks who started at running back in their team's first game of the season as rookies include Jonathan Taylor (2020), J.K. Dobbins (2020 - started week 1 but not initially deemed starter), AJ Dillon (2020 - limited role), and Javonte Williams (2021). These players frequently stepped into immediate, high-volume roles within their offenses.

Javonte Williams (2021): Drafted by the Denver Broncos, he was quickly integrated as a key contributor.
Jonathan Taylor (2020): Drafted by the Indianapolis Colts, started early in his rookie season due to injuries.
J.K. Dobbins (2020): Drafted by the Baltimore Ravens, established himself early, following up a productive rookie year with a strong career.

Other Notable Recent Day 2 RBs: While not always Week 1 starters, other top-selected backs in recent years include Zach Charbonnet (2023), Kenneth Walker III (2022), and Breece Hall (2022).
ESPN
ESPN
+1
These players often compete with veterans immediately but are selected with the expectation of becoming the primary ball carrier early in their careers