Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet is nearing a return to the practice field as he continues his recovery from a torn ACL, head coach Mike Macdonald said Friday.
Macdonald offered the most encouraging public update yet on the fourth-year back, who opened the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list.
“Zach’s doing great,” Macdonald said. “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 tore the ACL in his left knee during Seattle’s NFC divisional-round playoff win over the San Francisco 49ers on Jan. 17. He had reconstruction surgery on Feb. 20.
Typical ACL recoveries run nine to 12 months. That timeline would put a mid-October return in play, which lines up with the earliest games for which he can be activated.
Players who start the season on reserve/PUP must miss the first four regular-season games. A new league bylaw, however, lets those players open a 21-day practice window after their team’s second game.
That change means Charbonnet can return to practice as soon as next week if the medical staff signs off after Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. He still cannot play until Week 5 at the earliest, when Seattle hosts the 49ers.
Macdonald has declined to pin a game date on the calendar. Earlier this month he said Charbonnet was on track with an “aggressive timetable” and looked “dang good” in rehab.
The Seahawks have no incentive to hurry the final steps. Rookie first-round pick Jadarian Price has taken the early-season workload, with veterans George Holani and Emanuel Wilson filling complementary roles.
Last season Charbonnet set career highs with 184 carries, 730 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns in 16 games. Those 12 scores made him the first Seahawk to reach double-digit rushing touchdowns since 2014.
Kenneth Walker III, who shared the backfield with Charbonnet, signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency. That departure left Seattle looking for a physical, experienced complement once Charbonnet is cleared.
Getting him on the practice field first will let coaches see how the knee holds up in pads and contact before any activation decision. The 21-day window then gives the club time to evaluate him without burning a roster spot immediately.
Seattle is 1-0 heading into the Arizona game and faces a stretch that includes Washington, the Los Angeles Chargers, San Francisco, Denver and Kansas City. A healthy Charbonnet would give the offense another between-the-tackles option during that stretch.
Macdonald and the training staff have treated the recovery as a process rather than a countdown. Friday’s comments were the first time the coach spoke specifically about setting a practice date.
For now the focus remains on incremental progress rather than a specific Sunday. Charbonnet’s next checkpoint is simply stepping back onto the grass with his teammates.
