Rashaad Penny is on track to make his season debut tomorrow against Washington. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports (via Twitter) that the Seahawks will activate the running back off the PUP list.
Penny, the 27th-overall pick in the 2018 draft, was unable to supplant Chris Carson as the starter during his first two seasons in the NFL, but he still put up solid numbers as a backup. In 24 games, Penny has 150 carries for 789 yards (5.3 yards per attempt) and five touchdowns. He’s also added 17 receptions for 158 yards and one score.
However, Penny suffered a torn ACL at the end of last season, and the 24-year-old landed on the reserve/PUP list to start the 2020 campaign. He started practicing last week, and despite Pete Carroll initially insisting that they wouldn’t rush Penny’s return, the running back quickly drew high praise from the head coach.
“He’s really in good shape. I don’t know what that means for next week, but he looked as healthy as anybody out there,” Carroll said (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson). “So we’ll take it one shot at a time here, but very, very positive initial return and I know he’s really jacked about it.”
While the Seahawks found themselves with a depleted running back corps down the stretch of last season, they now find themselves with a full depth chart. Carson and Carlos Hyde are both healthy, and the team is also rostering fourth-round rookie DeeJay Dallas. Penny will once again have to battle for carries, but the Seahawks will surely give him a look prior to the postseason.
Seahawks:
A PENNY for your thoughts…..
Just in time. Not enough running backs here. Curt Warner, Sherman Smith and Derrick Fenner also close to being healthy.
He has not justified his draft selection.
I’ve never understood why people think a 27th overall pick should be an instant success every year. When you compare the success (in general) of NFL 1st rd picks 1-15 to that of picks 16-32 the percentage of busts from picks in the second half goes up from 35% in the first half to 65% in the 2nd half.
I also don’t understand why there are such high expectations on Penny when he wasn’t given as many snaps because CC32 was killing it when healthy- we’ll never know how he’d do as a number 1 back because one Pete gave the rock to CC32 and two he’s been injured for roughly half his time in Seattle. You can’t hold injuries against a player when you’re judging his value. Speaking of, Penny has 7 AV in 24 games on PFR. Let’s assume he’s healthy and Pete continues to give him the same workload that 7AV obviously pro rates to 14 AV over 48g. Mind you that’s 14 AV on part time snaps.
Imo I think Penny will always be unfairly judged by Hawks fans because he was picked before Nick Chubb. Franchises whiff on players all the time. In 2019 31 teams each technically had 2 chances to pick DK Metcalf but didn’t. We all know how many teams passed on Russ, Brady and Aaron Rodgers. Additionally I think Seattle fans will always have unrealistic expectations on draft picks considering the 2010-2012 draft classes success. I think there have been some stinkers (2013 and 2014 esp) since that 2012 class but look at the last 3 classes- sneaky good drafts imo. Again look at all 31 other teams and tell me who has nailed every draft class over the last decade. I can’t think of one single team.
Total bust and waste of another Seahawks 1st round pick. At least they realized they stink at drafting and were better off trading picks for a proven star in Jamal Adams.