Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold had high praise for rookie running back Jadarian Price following Friday's joint practice with the Tennessee Titans, calling him "a special player" who can contribute in multiple ways on offense.
"He's a special player," Darnold said, via Ari Horton and John Boyle of the Seahawks' official website. "He's a really special player. He brings a different facet to the offense that only he can bring. Whether it's catching passes out of the backfield, catching screens, running in between the tackles, outside of the tackles, he can really do it all. And I know he's just going to continue to get better and learn."
Price, the 32nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft out of Notre Dame, missed the Seahawks' preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys due to lower-body soreness. During Friday's joint session, he made an over-the-shoulder catch in seven-on-seven work and broke off a long run in 11-on-11 drills, according to Seahawks.com reporters Ari Horton and John Boyle.
Price's path to Seattle came after a productive college career at Notre Dame, where he shared the backfield with Jeremiyah Love, who was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals. In his final season with the Fighting Irish, Price rushed for 674 yards and 11 touchdowns on 113 carries (6.0 yards per carry), caught six passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns, and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns.
Price is competing with George Holani for the starting running back job while Zach Charbonnet is sidelined. Charbonnet is out for a portion of the season after suffering an ACL tear. The Seahawks also have free-agent addition George Holani, who had 42 yards on the ground in the preseason opener, and Emanuel Wilson, who missed that game with a hamstring injury.
Coach Mike Macdonald has been cautious with Price's recovery. After Price missed multiple practices earlier in August, Macdonald described the injury as minor on Aug. 8 and said Price was expected to return in a matter of days. Price returned to practice two days later, and Macdonald said he was following a "return-to-play plan." The Seahawks held Price out of the 17-7 loss to the Cowboys on Aug. 15, but he was back on the field for the joint session with the Titans, where he showed the playmaking ability that caught Darnold's attention.
Macdonald also noted early in training camp that Price was catching passes frequently and praised his work in pass protection, an area that could help him earn playing time as a rookie. The coach estimated that players received about 40 to 50 physical reps in the joint practice, compared to roughly 20 in a preseason game.
The Seahawks are set to face the Titans on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 5 p.m. Pacific time in Nashville. Price's performance in that game could provide further evidence of the versatility that Darnold highlighted.
While some observers might question the decision to draft a running back with the final pick of the first round, Darnold's comments and Price's practice performance suggest the rookie is already making a strong impression. How the Seahawks manage Price's workload as he returns from injury, and how he performs in the upcoming game, will be worth watching as the team looks to solidify its backfield.