The Seattle Seahawks made a major trade for the fourth consecutive year as they traded for eight-time Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson from the Indianapolis Colts. This move is an instant improvement to the entire Seahawks offense and their offensive line, which has taken a slight regression this season. Seattle gets one of the best offensive linemen in the league, but they might not be done.

The Seahawks might still be in the market for a new starting running back or a great backup running back. The move for Nelson comes as veteran running back Zach Charbonnet is participating in his second week of practice and rookie running back Jadarian Price returns from his chest injury. There are still some questions with the running game, leading to the possibility of a trade.

Why the Seahawks Could Trade for a Running Back

There are several running backs that the Seahawks could be looking at. They’ve been reportedly linked to Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, who is in the prime of his career. There are indications that the Seahawks could go all-in on their offense and get Nelson’s teammate of six and a half seasons.

Seattle could also be looking into Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley, Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Bucky Irving or Tennessee Titans’ Tony Pollard. Each one of these running backs has a reason to ask for a new environment. Taylor would likely be the easiest running back for the Seahawks to trade for.

The Seahawks have endured an inconsistent running game this season through seven games. Among some of the biggest reasons are injuries at the running back position, the lack of explosiveness in Emanuel Wilson and George Holani and rough offensive line play. Nelson’s addition solves one of the problems, but Taylor’s addition could solve the other.

Why the Seahawks Wouldn’t Trade for a Running Back

While there are some key reasons why the Seahawks could trade for Taylor or another running back, there are also reasons why they shouldn’t. The front office already invested a first-round pick in Price and they might want to see what he could be as the franchise No. 1 back. Price has had a rough start to his career, but it is still early.

General manager John Schneider builds his team through a big trade, but he also loves to build the roster from the NFL Draft. This front office did a great job letting go of one of their third-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft and their fifth-round pick in the 2028 NFL Draft. This allows Schneider to find talented young players and have them contribute early.

Seattle has struggled significantly on offense this season, but they are still favorably ranked in or near the top ten of major offensive categories. Seattle averages 113.7 rushing yards per game behind an offense that has Wilson and Holani as the main rushers.

The offense could be a lot more dangerous once Charbonnet and Price return to the lineup. There are some risks to relying on them, but Nelson is one of the most efficient run-blockers; the Seahawks’ run game could take a big leap.

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