The Green Bay Packers have been busy during the opening days of free agency. With players like Javon Hargrave and Benjamin St-Juste joining the team, the Packers are adding a slew of veterans to a promising young core to chase a Super Bowl.
But to clear room, the Packers must push out some of those players, like running back Emanuel Wilson.
Wilson plays on a different side of the ball, but his departure is notable as he couldn’t find an opportunity in Green Bay. The logjam in the backfield led the Packers to decline the right to place a tender on him and led him to a new home on Thursday when NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that he agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $2.1 million with the Seattle Seahawks.
The move to Seattle has a short-term benefit, as Wilson will likely be the starter as Zach Charbonnet recovers from a torn ACL suffered during last year’s Super Bowl run. But the long-term rewards could create a dream scenario that could help him land the role he couldn’t get with the Packers.
Emanuel Wilson Could Be Auditioning for a Long-Term Future with Seahawks
Wilson’s short-term performance will be very important to his time in Seattle. Charbonnet’s injury will likely sideline him during the opening weeks of the season, and even if the Seahawks add a running back in the draft, Wilson should get the bulk of the carries to start the year.
If Wilson performs well, he will likely continue to have a role when Charbonnet is ready to return, as the Seahawks split carries between the UCLA product and Kenneth Walker III on their way to winning the Super Bowl last year. Even if the Seahawks like what they see from Charbonnet, Wilson could have a bigger role (and perhaps a bigger contract) in 2027 as Charbonnet will hit the market as a free agent.
Based on his performance filling in for Josh Jacobs after he suffered a knee contusion in a Week 10 win over the New York Giants, Wilson could be on the verge of cashing in.
After running for 40 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, Wilson got his first career start the following week, running 28 times for 107 yards and two touchdowns in a win over the Minnesota Vikings. He shone again when Jacobs was limited in a Week 16 loss to the Chicago Bears, running for 82 yards on 14 carries.
These performances couldn’t get Wilson more playing time in Green Bay, with Jacobs returning as the starter and the Packers likely looking for competition for MarShawn Lloyd. Those outings, however, likely stayed at the forefront of the Seahawks' minds as they needed to find a replacement for Walker and a stopgap while Charbonnet was returning from injury.
If Wilson performs to his ability, it could be the scenario he was hoping for with the Packers. The Seahawks have opened the door to give him his big break and a long-term future in the NFL, leaving time to tell if he has what it takes to answer the call.