UCLA Professional Athletes

The Return Everyone in Seattle Has Been Waiting For

Zach Charbonnet's ACL recovery is officially over. The former UCLA running back was cleared off Seattle's injury report ahead of Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears, making him active for his first game of the 2026 season. ESPN's Adam Schefter confirmed the news Saturday, capping a weeks-long buildup that saw Charbonnet go from limited practice reps to full clearance just in time for prime time.

Charbonnet hadn't played since tearing his ACL — a recovery that had already cost him earlier weeks, including a Week 7 inactive designation against the Chiefs. The timing matters: Seattle's backfield has been struggling, and the franchise has leaned on Emanuel Wilson in Charbonnet's absence. Now, for the first time, Charbonnet and fellow returnee Jadarian Price — a rookie back coming back from a chest injury — will share a backfield. How Macdonald deploys the newly crowded room will be one of the week's more interesting coaching decisions.

For Bruin fans, it's a moment worth savoring. Charbonnet was Seattle's featured back before going down, and Monday night is his chance to reclaim that role on the league's biggest weekly stage.

Bad News Out of Green Bay

The same week one Bruin breaks through, another hits a wall. Green Bay guard Sean Rhyan is believed to have suffered a high-ankle sprain during the Packers' Week 7 game, an injury that carries a multi-week recovery timeline according to multiple reports. Rhyan left the game and did not return, and the Packers — already thin across the offensive line — face a significant reshuffling up front.

The timing stings for Green Bay. Rhyan had been a key piece of an O-line already managing attrition, and his absence now leaves the Packers with significant questions about protecting Jordan Love and opening running lanes going into the back half of the season.

Around the League

Elsewhere, fellow Bruin Greg Dulcich had a quietly impressive Week 7 in Miami's narrow 28-25 win over the Jets — hauling in five catches for 86 yards, a reminder that the tight end can be a legitimate weapon when targeted. It was the kind of performance that tends to get buried in a win but deserves notice.

On the defensive side, Oluwafemi Oladejo notched a sack for the Titans in their 24-27 Week 7 loss to Cleveland — one of the few highlights on an otherwise rough day for Tennessee. Kenny Clark and Otito Ogbonnia suited up for Dallas in Monday's 38-21 loss to Philadelphia, though neither registered statistical marks in the box score. Quentin Lake appeared for the Rams in their 35-21 win over Las Vegas. Carson Schwesinger was active in Cleveland's win over Tennessee. Ka'imi Fairbairn handled kicking duties in Houston's 21-27 upset loss to the Giants. Laiatu Latu played in Indianapolis's 10-16 setback against Minnesota.

The week belonged to Charbonnet's story, though — a long road back from surgery, arriving at exactly the right moment. Monday night will tell whether he's truly back.

Two UCLA alumni are dominating the injury and discipline headlines in the NFL this week, with Carson Schwesinger and Zach Charbonnet each navigating pivotal moments in their 2026 seasons.

Schwesinger: Fine, Ankle, and a Ravens Showdown on the Line

The Browns linebacker is dealing with a crowded news cycle after a rough Week 5. Schwesinger exited Cleveland's 17-12 loss to the Jets on Sunday having recorded a tackle, but he left the stadium in a walking boot — a sight that set off alarm bells in Cleveland. Initial reports confirmed a Grade 1 ankle sprain, stopping short of ruling him out for Week 6 but keeping the situation squarely on watch.

Then came the NFL's ruling: Schwesinger was hit with a league punishment for a play during that Jets game, adding a disciplinary layer to an already complicated week. Details of the fine weren't fully disclosed in reporting, but the timing — ahead of a high-stakes divisional matchup — amplifies the noise.

The silver lining arrived Friday. Schwesinger returned to practice alongside fellow Browns injuries Mason Graham and Quinshon Judkins, offering Cleveland genuine optimism ahead of Sunday's home clash with the Baltimore Ravens. He's officially listed as questionable, but his presence on the practice field late in the week is the most encouraging sign possible short of a full clearance. For a Browns defense that needs every available body against Lamar Jackson and company, Schwesinger suiting up would be a significant boost.

Charbonnet: Week 7 in Sight After Agonizing Wait

Across the country, the Seahawks are playing a different waiting game — one that's stretched since January, when Zach Charbonnet tore his ACL during Seattle's playoff run. The former UCLA standout has been sidelined all season, and his absence has been glaring. Seattle's running back room has struggled through injuries and fumbles, and the team was even floated in trade speculation for Eagles star Saquon Barkley — a sign of how desperate the situation has grown.

Charbonnet was not activated for Seattle's Thursday Night Football game against the Broncos, a result head coach Mike Macdonald telegraphed after the Week 5 loss to the 49ers. But the timeline is finally, tangibly tightening. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Wednesday that Charbonnet has a "legitimate chance" to make his 2026 debut in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs — a marquee return spot if it holds.

The Sporting News noted the team is getting "exciting news" on his return trajectory, and the Chiefs reportedly view his potential activation as a genuine wrinkle in their preparation. For a Seahawks offense that has been leaning on a patchwork backfield, Charbonnet's return would be the most significant development of their season.

Also Watching

UCLA alum Carson Steele is getting an unexpected opportunity in Philadelphia, stepping into the Eagles' suddenly depleted backfield with Saquon Barkley sidelined for a second straight game. Reports suggest a potential role change for Steele as the Eagles look for creative ways to shore up their run game. And in Dallas, defensive tackle Kenny Clark returns to Lambeau Field on Sunday night as a Cowboy — a reunion storyline in its own right for the UCLA product who spent his prime years in Green Bay.

Kendricks Heads to Inglewood

The biggest UCLA story of the week had nothing to do with a game. Eric Kendricks — First Team All-Pro, Pro Bowl linebacker, owner of more than 1,100 career tackles — agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Rams, bringing the Bruin back to his home market. Kendricks, who spent last season with the 49ers, sent a characteristically brief message after the deal was announced, letting his résumé do the talking. For a Rams linebacker corps that already includes fellow UCLA alum Alex Johnson, the signing adds a proven instincts-and-leadership package that Los Angeles clearly felt it needed.

The move also reunites Kendricks with Quentin Lake, another Bruin on the Rams' roster. Lake was on the field in Week 4 when Los Angeles knocked off Philadelphia 24-20 — a result that has the Rams looking like genuine NFC contenders heading into the mid-season stretch.

Seattle's Backfield Patchwork, and Where Charbonnet Fits

If Kendricks was the headline, Zach Charbonnet was the subplot that wouldn't stop developing. The former UCLA standout has been on the physically unable to perform list since tearing his ACL in the playoffs, and the Seahawks' season has been a rolling exercise in backfield triage ever since. Rookie Jadarian Price landed on injured reserve, leaving Emanuel Wilson to carry the load — which he did admirably in Seattle's 30-23 Week 4 win over the Chargers — but the team wasn't willing to wait.

Seattle signed veteran Joe Mixon, poached Robert Henry Jr. from Washington's practice squad, and had trade candidates floated externally as the front office scrambled for insurance. The urgency reflects just how central Charbonnet is to Seattle's offensive identity.

The good news: Sam Darnold offered an encouraging injury update on Charbonnet, and multiple reports peg the second-year back as nearing a return. Sports Illustrated's fantasy analysts flagged his approaching activation as imminent enough to affect the long-term outlook of other backs on the roster. For a Seahawks team that is 3-1 but still searching for its rushing identity, getting Charbonnet back healthy would be the most significant roster development of their season.

Fellow Bruin Jake Bobo remains on Seattle's wide receiver depth chart and Joseph Vaughn at linebacker, giving UCLA plenty of representation on a team that looks increasingly like a playoff contender — if it can stay healthy.

Around the League

Laiatu Latu continued to make noise for Indianapolis, contributing to a commanding 30-13 Colts win over Washington in Week 4 — a game that also featured four UCLA alums on the Commanders' side (Fabian Moreau, Colson Yankoff, Kain Medrano, and Kazmeir Allen). Kenny Clark and Otito Ogbonnia were both on the field as Dallas edged Houston 34-30 on Sunday before suiting up again Thursday night against Tampa Bay, a quick-turnaround test for the Cowboys' defensive interior. Ka'imi Fairbairn handled kicking duties for Houston in that same loss, keeping his streak of consistent appearances intact.

In Green Bay, guard Sean Rhyan is facing a reconfigured defensive environment after the Packers lost linebacker Edgerrin Cooper to injury — a development that may reshape how opposing offenses, and Rhyan's blocking assignments, approach Green Bay's front seven.

It was a busy week for the Bruin NFL diaspora, and with Kendricks in a Rams uniform and Charbonnet's return potentially imminent, the next few weeks figure to be even busier.