Pete Carroll Bestows Incredible 3-Word Compliment on Seahawks Rookie

NFL rookies typically need some time to fully grasp what’s going on in the league, how things work, and what it means to be a professional.

But some rookies pick things up faster than others, and the Seattle Seahawks feel the same way with Zach Charbonnet, a second-round pick in 2023. Because of this, head coach Pete Carroll simply needed to say, “He gets it,” to give the rookie running back the best compliment a coach can bestow upon a young player.

Pete Carroll Loves Zach Charbonnet’s makeup

It was somewhat of a surprise when Charbonnet was drafted by the Seahawks in April. A year ago, the team selected Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III in the same round; however, general manager John Schneider and Carroll decided to go all-in on one of the league’s most crucial offensive positions with four picks in the first two rounds.

With 117 carries for 516 yards, 14 receptions for 110 yards, and six touchdowns, Walker is the team’s bell-cow back. However, Charbonnet has provided a welcome change of pace, gaining 162 yards on 28 carries, compared to Walker’s 4.4 yards per attempt. In addition, the former UCLA Bruin caught 8 passes for 47 yards.

Charbonnet played a career-high 34 snaps and averaged 10.6 yards per carry on his five touches in the Seahawks’ Week 8 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

The Seahawks rookie appears to be gradually gaining the coaching staff’s trust, and Carroll’s recent remarks about him, as reported by the Seattle Times, support that belief.

“He grasps it. He understands the game, is highly disciplined, and is a very accountable young player, according to Carroll. When you give him instructions, he follows them as closely as possible. He can also adjust to changing circumstances and make the best decisions to ensure a successful outcome. Although it’s difficult for a young player to perform pass protection and blitz pickup, he hasn’t had any issues with it and is physically strong enough to do it. He is a man of full build.

The most interesting aspect of the quote is the last section about pass blocking. Rookie running backs frequently don’t see the field as much as fans would like because of a lack of pass protection. But in the NFL, Charbonnet isn’t just making it through pass blocking—he’s excelling at it.

In actuality, Charbonnet leads the team in pass-blocking grade (87.2) according to PFF. Walker (53.0) and DeeJay Dallas (47.1) are dwarfed by that grade. As the second half of the season approaches, we might see a lot more of Charbonnet if he keeps improving in this area of his game.

Seattle Must Lean on Their Running Backs in Week 9 vs. the Ravens

In Week 9, the Seahawks travel all the way to the East Coast to play the AFC North-leading Baltimore Ravens in a challenging NFC-AFC matchup.

Under veteran head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Ravens have a strong defense in 2023 as usual. The team ranks third in yards allowed (2,212) and second in scoring defense (121 points allowed) in the league.

However, a closer examination of the stats reveals that Baltimore is stronger in one area of defense than the other. The Ravens have the most sacks in the league (31) and have given up the sixth-fewest passing yards (1,413) in defending the pass.

It’s a different scenario when they’re fleeing.

The Ravens defense is mediocre when it comes to stopping running backs. They rank in the middle of the pack in terms of most missed tackles (T-14 with 43) and running yards allowed (799). Additionally, they rank 15th in PFF’s run defense rankings (67.0). In terms of context, the Seahawks rank eighth with a grade of 72.5 in this criterion.

All of this points to the notion that Walker won’t be able to lead the Seahawks to victory in Week 9 if they don’t run the ball. On Sunday, don’t be shocked if there are more Charbonnet than normal.