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RENTON, Wash. — On the third day of Seattle Seahawks training camp, with shoulder pads strapped on for the first time and live contact still just out of reach, linebacker Ernest Jones IV found himself chasing air. During a seven-on-seven session, rookie running back Jadarian Price sliced past Jones on a wheel route, hauled in a pass from Sam Darnold, and turned it into a long gain. For Jones, the moment was illuminating. He’s good, man,
Jones said after practice Spokesman. Mature for his age; you can tell. You don’t get too many words out of him but he’s working. He got me today, man.
Selected 32nd overall out of Notre Dame, Price arrived in the Pacific Northwest carrying a very specific label: an explosive, downhill runner with questions to answer. In South Bend, splitting time with fellow first-round pick Jeremiyah Love—now with the Arizona Cardinals—Price was rarely asked to shoulder a heavy load in the passing game or anchor pass-protection schemes. Across three college seasons, he tallied just 15 receptions. When general managers and analysts dissected his tape ahead of the draft, his utility outside of early-down rushing was the primary caveat attached to his first-round grade.
Yet, as the calendar flips to August 2026, the defending Super Bowl champions are seeing a vastly expanded portfolio. With last year's lead back having departed in free agency and Zach Charbonnet recovering from the ACL tear he suffered during the divisional playoff win over the San Francisco 49ers on January 18, an immediate opportunity has materialized. Third-year pro George Holani has frequently taken the first reps with the No. 1 offense, followed closely by Price and free-agent addition Emanuel Wilson, but the rookie's camp performance suggests a much larger canvas.
Head coach Mike Macdonald has noted that while sweeping evaluations must wait for full-contact team drills, Price’s decisiveness, quickness, and speed have translated seamlessly. More importantly, the rookie has drawn praise for his application in pass protection. He’s doing a lot of great things in pass protection, which I appreciate,
Macdonald observed Spokesman. So it’s positive right now, just really excited about it. He’s got a great opportunity in front of him.
That opportunity is deeply tied to first-year offensive coordinator Brian Fleury’s scheme, which bears notable similarities to the system run by Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak. For Price, grasping the playbook has meant bridging the gap between his collegiate usage and the demands of a modern NFL offense. I’m really starting to finally understand the offense,
Price noted Andrew Destin. The things that we do, I didn’t do too much in college. So now that I am opening my game up a little bit, I’m really excited for the season.
Off the field, the 22-year-old’s maturity stems from a foundation built long before he reached the NFL. Growing up in Denison, Texas, Price watched his mother, Jessica Butler, battle and eventually recover from cancer. The ordeal forged a perspective that guides him through the friction of professional football. I truly believe that in order to grow, you have to go through pain and adversity,
Price said Andrew Destin. Watching my mom go through that, it made me believe there’s nothing that could stop me getting to achieve my dreams. She went through the worst. So, what’s one more bad day of adversity for me? I can always get through it.
Following his first major payday, Price checked his primary personal goal off the list by purchasing a new house for his family.
Inside the VMAC, the running back room has maintained a collaborative environment while internal competition ramps up. Holani has praised the rookie's contact balance, sharp footwork, and ability to string multiple cuts together in a single play to unearth vertical creases. Even so, the road ahead involves sorting out a multi-faceted rotation. While Charbonnet remains on the physically unable to perform list, his eventual return will reshape the depth chart, and Wilson brings steady veteran experience from Green Bay.
If Price can consistently anchor in blitz pickups and validate his emerging receiving chops—highlighted by a stretching sideline catch earlier in the week alongside his consecutive touchdown grabs on wheel routes—the Seahawks will find it difficult to keep him off the field on all three downs. As the team transitions into full-pads practices, the test shifts from training camp insulation to the stark realities of live contact.
Sources
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- spokesman.com original
- nfl.com original
- Andrew Destin original
- wtop.com original
- Duncan Day original
- Matt Legros original
