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Seahawks head coach Pete Caroll has officially stated that former first-round RB Rashaad Penny is set to get the “first shot” at the starting job in 2022, Dave Richard of CBS Sports HQ reported Tuesday. The team signed Penny to a one-year, $5.75 million prove-it deal in March after a big-time breakout to close out the 2021 season. He went on an absolute tear in Weeks 14-18, averaging 134.2 rushing yards and 1.2 TDs per game in that span.
Despite his draft stock, Penny has spent most of his career playing behind 2017 seventh-round pick, RB Chris Carson. His time in Seattle has been plagued by time missed due to injury, including multiple hamstring injuries, a calf injury, and most notably, a torn ACL that ended his 2019 season and kept him off the field for most of 2020. When he’s played, however, he’s been a force. Penny has totaled at least 100 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in each of the seven career games that he’s had 12 or more carries.
As the team looks to rebuild their offense without Russell Wilson under center, Penny should have every opportunity to shine in the coming season. Teammate Chris Carson suffered a neck injury for which he underwent season-ending surgery in November of 2021, which Carroll was hopeful he’d be ready to return from at the start of training camp. Carson is set to be a free agent in 2023.
Carroll sounds optimistic but not certain about Chris Carson returning from neck surgery. “Chris is feeling pretty good. He’s making progress. He’s looking forward to playing, thinks he’s going to be able to pull it off … He won’t know until he gets back and really gets going.”
— Brady Henderson (@BradyHenderson) March 29, 2022