Zach Charbonnet Returns to Seahawks Lineup After ACL Surgery

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet is set to make his season debut on Monday night against the Chicago Bears. He will return to active duty less than nine months after undergoing anterior cruciate ligament surgery.

Head coach Mike Macdonald confirmed the plan for Charbonnet during a press conference. Macdonald described the running back as a three-down player who can catch the ball out of the backfield and run a varied route tree. He noted that Charbonnet has been excellent in pass protection since joining the team.

Charbonnet had surgery on February 12. The Seahawks had defeated the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX four days prior to that date. He was designated to return to practice on October 1 and was officially activated on October 21. Despite being cleared, he sat out last week's contest against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The running back participated in full practice all week leading up to the Chiefs game. The team eased his workload on Friday with a limited day of work before returning him to full participation on Saturday. Charbonnet said he is happy to get back out there and credited the team and rehab staff for helping him dial in on his plan.

First-round pick Jadarian Price also has a chance to play Monday night. Price is healthy enough to play but requires a roster move to be activated. The Seahawks are likely to waive running back Robert Henry Jr. or place Velus Jones Jr. on injured reserve. This move would allow Price to join Emanuel Wilson and George Holani on the active roster.

The Seahawks are carrying several injuries into the game. Left tackle Charles Cross and wide receiver Rashid Shaheed were ruled out. Linebacker Uchenna Nwosu is questionable to play. Other players ruled out include running back Velus Jones Jr., quarterback Drew Lock, guard Anthony Bradford, linebacker Patrick O'Connell, and defensive tackle Brandon Pili.

Linebacker Drake Thomas returns to the starting lineup after missing two weeks with an ankle injury. Left guard Quenton Nelson will make his debut with the team. He joined the roster recently and has practiced for three days. Offensive coordinator Brian Fleury said the biggest challenges will be communication and terminology differences, but he expects Nelson to be ready.

The offensive line will see three new pieces compared to Sunday night. Josh Jones will play at left tackle in place of Cross. Grey Zabel will move to the right side. The Seahawks will need to elevate a practice squad tackle, either Bobby Hart or Logan Brown, to serve as a backup with Cross out.