The Seattle Seahawks are well-equipped for their 14th playoff appearance in the last 18 years. Although the Seahawks were known for their dominant “Legion of Boom” defense in their Super Bowl days, Pete Carroll’s team has started to find an offensive groove behind MVP Candidate Russell Wilson and a diverse group of running backs led by Chris Carson. Despite SEA putting out a terrible Offensive Line in recent years, Carson is now coming off back-to-back 1K seasons and looking to hit the trifecta before cashing out in the offseason.
Not only has Chris Carson been one of the best running backs over the past two seasons, but he’s been putting up elite numbers (2,381 yards, 16 TD) behind a horrendous offensive line. During Carson’s NFL career (2017-2019), Seattle’s only had two consistent offensive lineman that are worthy of being starting-caliber (Duane Brown & Mike Iupati), while their other OL have been below-average or among the bottom tier at their position. After years of disappointment, Seattle has finalIy invested in their O-Line by adding the likes of Brandon Shell, B.J. Finney, & Damien Lewis into the fold.
With the backfield being more crowded than ever, expect to see Carson’s touches and yards decrease but a steady increase in his efficiency (yards per carry = YPC & yards per touch = Y/TCH) as he enters a contract season. Despite stringing together two of the best rushing seasons in Seahawks history, Carson could be entering the 2021 offseason with one foot out the door.
Seattle has recently invested a first (Penny, 2018), sixth (Homer, 2019) & a fourth (Dallas, 2020) round pick to help beef up their running back group of the future. RB’s are the most replaceable position in the game and Chris Carson is going to be asking for elite RB money if he pulls off another season of 1K+ yards.
Carson’s combination of production, size & running style are intriguing but his injury history, likely contract demands, and lackluster impact in the passing game could make his free agency one that could go in a lot of different directions. Carlos Hyde’s recent addition formulates the thought that Seattle doesn’t believe Carson will be fully healthy in 2020, or at least to start the season after his 2019 season prematurely came to an end in Week 16 (hip injury).
With health being a major x-factor along with an overpopulated backfield and a possible emphasis on the passing game under Russell Wilson, it’s hard to expect Carson to improve this season. No matter what happens this year, he’ll likely be playing in front of the “12th Man” for the last time unless Penny, Hyde, and the recent RB draft picks all fail to be nearly as effective as the 2017 7th Rd pick.
FUTURE OUTLOOK: B+
The Seahawks main two rushing options (Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny) are both coming off season-ending injuries in 2019. Fortunate enough for Seattle, Carson is expected to be ready for training camp, but Penny will probably start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list as he’s nursing a major knee injury (ACL Tear and additional knee damage).
With injuries depleting the sturdy Seahawks backfield, they drafted Miami’s DeeJay Dallas and went to the open market to land Carlos Hyde. Hyde’s addition gives Seattle two of the top-13 rushers in the league last year as SEA suddenly sports one of the best backfields in the game when healthy.
DeeJay Dallas was the 144th pick of the 2020 Draft and was one of the Miami Hurricanes’ most consistent producers over the past two years. Dallas brings a Marshawn Lynch-type of element to the Seattle RB room as he’s known for his vision and bruising north-and-south running style, but lacks prototypical NFL athleticism. Dallas is the former teammate of the 204th pick from the 2019 draft Travis Homer, who played in all 16 games last year and was a force on special teams. Although both of the former Miami rushers have solid potential in the league, Rashaad Penny is the prospect Seahawks fans want to see take that next step.
After a dominant CFB career that saw the former Aztec average a whooping 7.49 YPC, tie the KR (seven) and Total TD Return (eight) NCAA records, the former first round pick has been deeply overshadowed by Chris Carson’s emergence over the last two years. Carson has started 29 games to Penny’s zero since the San Diego St. alum was drafted 27th overall in 2018. After a four-year career in southern California, Penny was known as a high-upside prospect due to his size (220 lb) and 4.46 speed, but his vision, backfield presence, and running style has not yet translated in the pros.
It’s hard to start labeling a player as a bust after only two seasons, but coming off a major injury knee injury could be catastrophic for a RB that relies on athleticism. If Penny doesn’t have a breakout season, his 2022 fifth-year option surely won’t be picked up. With the expectation that the former 1st Rd pick will eventually establish himself as a starting-caliber Back, Seattle’s only offensive starting position that needs to be replaced in the 2021 offseason is the third WR spot where they already have elite contributors in D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett (Phillip Dorsett signed a 1-year deal for 2020).
The Seahawks future outlook at Running Back is completely dependent on re-signing their B+ RB Chris Carson OR Rashaad Penny finally living up to the potential that made him a first round pick. With both of those far from certain, the ‘Hawks could be scrambling for RB talent again a year from now.
SEAHAWKS RB OUTLOOK: C+
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