The value of one specific position is likely to increase in 2025 under new Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. With the last two OCs, the wide receiver group has had the second-highest priority (after the quarterback, of course), but Kubiak's scheme works differently.
Sure, he wants to get the tight ends more involved in the passing game, but he also wants to run the ball more. This coincides with what head coach Mike Macdonald wants as well. But to run the ball, Seattle needs to have players built to take more punishment. This exposes one veteran Seattle back.
Assuming he stays healthy, Kenneth Walker III will be RB1, and Zach Charbonnet will be RB2. RB3 will be a roster battle in training camp, and Georgia's Kenny McIntosh might be practicing for his roster life.
Seahawks must get more from Kenny McIntosh
The team has George Holani, who might be good in short bursts, but he also won't make McIntosh expendable. 2025 seventh-round draft pick Damien Martinez might. Martinez might not be as fast as McIntosh, but he is bigger.
The Georgia product has played two NFL seasons so far. He appeared in all 17 games in 2024 and produced DeeJay Dallas-type numbers. When Dallas played for Seattle between 2020 and 2022, he had between 33 and 35 carries every season. He showed his versatility by returning kicks well at times, but ultimately, he was not going to be a long-term Seahawk.
John Schneider was the Seahawks' general manager then, just as he is now. He also has full control over all roster moves. If he thought Dallas was not a good long-term fit, he might think the same of McIntosh, who had 31 carries last season. Both players do the same things, but they do not do those things so well that they must remain on the roster.
Plus, Kubiak probably had a lot of input into the team's offensive draft class this year, and nine of Seattle's 11 picks play on that side of the ball. McIntosh is 6 feet and 200 pounds, and Martinez is also 6 feet but almost 220 pounds.
He averaged 6.2 yards per carry over his three-year college career and scored 10 rushing touchdowns last season. He hasn't yet shown he can be a valuable receiver out of the backfield, but that was because he wasn't asked to do that much with either of his college teams, Oregon State and Miami.
Seattle has a recent history of keeping only three tailbacks on the roster, and the Seahawks are also expected to keep a fullback. The team is unlikely to keep four tailbacks and a fullback. Walker and Charbonnet are locks to make the team, so the third spot will probably come down to McIntosh and Martinez. Martinez could easily win that battle.
