C.J. Prosise - Pro Football Rumors

Texans Work Out Prosise, Halapio, Others

August 26th, 2020 at 5:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Texans are looking into some veteran free agents. Running back C.J. Prosise, wide receiver Ryan Grant, quarterback Cody Kessler and center Jon Halapio were among the players who participated in a Texans workout Wednesday.

This marks Prosise’s second August workout; he auditioned for the Lions nearly two weeks ago. The former Seahawks running back showed promise as a rookie and remained with the team throughout his four-year rookie contract, but the former third-round pick could never carve out a consistent role.

Now 30, Grant has bounced around since his Washington run ended. The nixed Ravens agreement in 2018 ended up routing him to the Colts, with whom he saw his last significant game action. Grant caught 35 passes for 334 yards in 2018. The Texans have a veteran-heavy receiving corps — headlined by the Will Fuller–Brandin Cooks–Randall Cobb–Kenny Stills quartet — but are down Keke Coutee at the moment. The third-year wideout is batting a foot stress fracture.

The Patriots carried Kessler for part of last season but released him in April. He has not seen game action since starting four games for the 2018 Jaguars.

Halapio brings the most recent starting experience, having been the Giants’ starting center for 15 games in 2019. He was rumored as a player who could return to the Giants, but nothing has emerged on that front in a bit. The Giants non-tendered him as an RFA in March. Halapio, 29, entered the past two seasons as New York’s starting center, but a broken leg ended his 2018 slate early and an Achilles’ tendon tear knocked him out of a Week 17 game last season.

Lions Work Out C.J. Prosise

August 13th, 2020 at 5:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Free agent running C.J. Prosise was among the group of players that worked out for the Lions today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

Prosise, 26, worked with Detroit offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell in Seattle from 2016-17, so he presumably has a grasp of the offense Bevell is deploying with the Lions. That could prove to be especially important in this COVID-shortened offseason when meeting and practice time is at a minimum.

The Lions don’t have a dire need for running back depth at the moment. Rookie D’Andre Swift and incumbent Kerryon Johnson will serve as the club’s top two options, while Bo Scarbrough is available in reserve. Johnson has missed plenty of time due to injury in his short career, though, so Prosise could become an emergency option.

The Seahawks drafted Prosise in the third round of the 2016 draft but were never able to find a regular role for him in their offense. In four seasons in Seattle, Prosise never topped more than 30 carries or 20 receptions. Last year, he played 123 offensive snaps but handled only 33 total touches.

Per the NFL’s transaction wire, Detroit also worked out running backs Troymaine Pope and Jonathan Williams, cornerbacks Brian Allen and Dominique Hatfield, center Erik Magnuson, and linebacker Avery Moss.

Seahawks Place Carson, Prosise On IR

December 24th, 2019 at 3:23pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks have officially placed running backs C.J. Prosise and Chris Carson on injured reserve. The move was expected after they suffered hip and arm injuries, respectively, over the weekend.

The Seahawks, of course, have already filled the void by signing one-time franchise star Marshawn Lynch and old friend Robert Turbin. Both players will be eligible for Seattle’s Week 17 finale against the 49ers, which will decide the outcome of the NFC West. If they lose, they’ll still be in as a wild card team, and they’ll have Lynch and Turbin on hand to keep the chains moving.

Rashaad Penny recently landed on injured reserve with an ACL injury, so the Seahawks are entering the playoffs with a totally new RB depth chart. Before all of this, Carson was enjoying a strong year. He finished out the season with 1,190 yards on the ground and nine total touchdowns. Penny, in a much smaller sample size, was averaging 5.7 yards per tote. Prosise averaged just 3.1 yards per carry.

Seahawks Lose Trio Of Players

December 22nd, 2019 at 7:35pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Seahawks lost a tough one at home to the Cardinals on Sunday, and the news got much worse after the game. Running backs Chris Carson and C.J. Prosise will likely miss the rest of the season with hip and arm injuries respectively, head coach Pete Carroll announced to the media. Caroll also revealed that starting left tackle Duane Brown would undergo surgery on his knee and that while he could make it back for the playoffs, he won’t play next week.

That’s all very unfortunate, since Seattle has a crucial Week 17 game against the 49ers that will determine who wins the NFC West and in turn gets a home playoff game. The Seahawks were already playing without key defensive pieces in Jadeveon Clowney and Shaquill Griffin, and it’s unclear if either of them will make it back for next week. Either way, the Seahawks will now be very shorthanded for their showdown with San Francisco.

Rashaad Penny recently landed on injured reserve with an ACL injury, so Seattle has virtually no running backs left after today. They’ll certainly be making a move or two this week, and Carroll acknowledged as much by saying “John’s gotta get working” in reference to GM John Schneider, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets. Carson had been having a very solid year before going down, and will finish the season with 1,190 yards on the ground and nine total touchdowns.

Depending on who they add to the roster this week, rookie sixth-round pick Travis Homer currently profiles as the team’s starter at running back for Week 17. The Miami product now has eight carries in his career after handling five on Sunday. Brown is the anchor of the offensive line, and his absence will be sorely felt. 2018 fifth-round pick Jamarco Jones started two games when Brown was hurt earlier this year.

As for who Seattle will pick up, there are plenty of serviceable veteran options available. They worked out Robert Turbin and Alfred Blue last week after Penny went down, so perhaps one of those guys will get a call. Additionally, C.J. Anderson is a player the team might have interest in, Condotta hears (Twitter link). Anderson joined the Rams late in the season last year and ended up playing a huge role in their Super Bowl run, so he’s no stranger to this type of situation. Even more interestingly, Condotta tweets that he doesn’t “think it can be ruled out” that they might sign Marshawn Lynch. Lynch retired back in April, but left the door open for a return to the Raiders in May, so he might not be 100 percent finished. That would certainly be entertaining.

NFC Notes: Zeke, Buckner, A. Smith

July 15th, 2019 at 9:54pm CST by Rory Parks

Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is definitely considering a holdout, though Yahoo’s Charles Robinson reports that Elliott has not yet made up his mind one way or another. However, Robinson acknowledged earlier today (via Twitter) that the situation could go sideways fast. He writes that the club has discussed an extension for Elliott for a month or so, but those talks have not progressed in any meaningful way, so Elliott is now exploring his options.

Critically, Robinson notes that Elliott must report to training camp by August 6 in order to get a fourth accrued season towards free agency and preserve his right to hold out next summer if he so chooses. That reality gives Dallas a little more leverage, but Robinson also reports that the two sides are still working towards an agreement and that Elliott’s toying with the idea of a holdout has not yet strained the relationship between player and team.

Elliott and his camp will take this week to assess his options. If Elliott agrees to report on time, perhaps the team will assure him that it will prioritize an extension for him before the regular season. To date, a new deal for Elliott has not been on the top of Dallas’ to-do list.

We rounded up some NFC notes earlier today, and now we’ll dive into more items from the National Football Conference:

Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com says that Grady Jarrett‘s 2019 salary cap number will shrink to $11MM as a result of the extension he signed today. That will give the Falcons just shy of $11MM in cap space, which will help them sign Deion Jones to a new deal (Jones’ $1.45MM 2019 cap number will almost certainly go up if and when the club inks him to an extension of his own).
The last we heard, the 49ers and DeForest Buckner had not made much progress in extension talks, and Joel Corry of CBS Sports says that the contract San Francisco gave to Dee Ford after acquiring him via trade could be complicating Buckner negotiations (Twitter link). The club is set on using a team-friendly structure just like it always does — and just as it did with Ford — and it will not change its M.O. for Buckner, which is surely a sticking point for 2016’s No. 7 overall pick.
Kevin Patra of NFL.com reports that Redskins QB Alex Smith was able to shed the external fixator that had been keeping his leg in place since the horrific injury he suffered last year, an injury that has put his playing career in serious jeopardy. But Smith is committed to returning to the field, and this is a big step in his recovery.
Seahawks RB C.J. Prosise may be a release candidate, but Seattle head coach Pete Carroll says the oft-injured tailback is very much in the mix for a roster spot. Carroll said, per John Boyle of Seahawks.com, “[Prosise] has been fit throughout, he’s really strong, worked out really hard in the offseason to get his strength right, and his weight is up, but he’s fit and has really been able to do a little bit of everything. So to add him into the competition is really nice. So we’re fired up about C.J. being back.”

Release Candidate: Seahawks RB C.J. Prosise

July 10th, 2019 at 5:56pm CST by Dallas Robinson

When the Seahawks used a third-round pick on C.J. Prosise in 2016, the former Notre Dame running back looked as though he’d be an integral part of the Seattle offense. Penciled into a backfield that also included Christine Michael and Thomas Rawls, Prosise was viewed as a capable runner and a valuable receiver, a dual threat back who could contribute in multiple facets of the game.

But Prosise simply hasn’t been able to stay on the field. He showed flashes during his rookie campaign, especially during a Week 9 nine start in which he handled 17 carries for 66 yards while adding seven receptions for 87 yards. However, Prosise fractured his scapula in the Seahawks’ next contest and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. An ankle injury ended his season in 2017, and multiple ailments (abdomen, groin, and hip flexor) landed him on IR in 2018.

The injuries haven’t stopped in 2019. Seattle head coach Pete Carroll revealed in March that Prosise had recently undergone surgery. And just last month, the now-25-year-old tweaked his hamstring at Seahawks minicamp.

In three seasons with the Seahawks, Prosise’s totals are unsightly. He’s only managed to play in 16 games, rushing 42 times for 192 yards and one touchdown while hauling in 26 catches for 317 yards. Heading into a critical fourth year in Seattle, what are Prosise’s odds of making the Seahawks roster?

Seattle, notably, was the only NFL team to run the ball on more than 50% of its offensive plays in 2019, so the club certainly needs a cavalcade of running backs. But with 2018 starter Chris Carson and 2018 first-round pick Rashaad Penny locked into roster spots, Prosise will be competing with the likes of J.D. McKissic, Travis Homer, Bo Scarbrough, and Marcelias Sutton for a role.

McKissic is probably Prosise’s main competition, as both offer third-down promise as receiving backs (and both played wide receiver in college). Like Prosise, McKissic has also battled injuries, and he missed the first half of the 2018 campaign with a foot issue. But as recently as 2017, McKissic was productive, posting 34 receptions on 46 targets for 266 yards while ranking as a top-20 back in efficiency in both rushing and receiving, per Football Outsiders.

Another factor working against Prosise is special teams. Prosise has rarely played on teams throughout his pro career, while McKissic has offered at least some special teams capabilities. McKissic is competent in the return game, which could be important if the Seahawks need to give No. 1 wideout Tyler Lockett a breather from return duties.

Given his lengthy injury history and lack of production, Prosise won’t attract much of a trade market. So if he isn’t able to stick on Seattle’s roster, Prosise could be in danger of hitting the waiver wire in early September — or perhaps even sooner.

West Notes: Gates, Matthews, Raiders, Cards

March 26th, 2019 at 9:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Chargers have a lesser need at the tight end position than they did when they brought Antonio Gates back for a 16th season, a 17th Gates campaign with the Bolts remains on the radar. But the team has the future Hall of Famer on the back-burner for the time being. Budgetary issues represent the Chargers’ near-future concerns, with Anthony Lynn saying (via Pro Football Talk) Tuesday the team informed Gates it may be a bit before a decision is reached on whether or not to bring him back. Tom Telesco sounded optimistic about a Gates return in January. Hunter Henry stands to be healthy for training camp, and Virgil Green remains on the roster. The Chargers had this duo healthy during free agency last year and bid farewell to Gates. Henry’s injury brought the parties back together, with Gates making $2.5MM. It will be interesting to see if the Bolts have all three on their roster this season.

Here is the latest from the West divisions:

With Isaiah Crowell set to visit the Raiders on Thursday, the futures of Marshawn Lynch and Doug Martin may soon become even more uncertain. However, Jon Gruden said (via The Athletic’s Vic Tafur, subscription required) the door remains open on Lynch. Martin, however, may see Crowell — if Gruden gets his wish and he signs — push him aside. Martin’s asking price may have been too high, per Tafur (on Twitter). The Raiders had wanted to re-sign Martin, but not much has transpired on this front since free agency opened. Martin bounced back after consecutive seasons of 2.9 yards per carry, averaging 4.2 per tote and being the Raiders’ primary rusher following Lynch’s injury.
Clay Matthews received a decent mid-level deal to sign with the Rams, with Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com reporting (on Twitter) the veteran outside linebacker’s contract is for two years and $12.75MM. Of that total, $6.5MM is guaranteed. Matthews’ deal can max out at $16.75MM. Matthews made more than $10MM in base salary in each of the past two seasons.
The NFL has intervened on the Broncos‘ ownership situation. Roger Goodell said 49ers GM Carmen Policy is serving as the arbitrator for the dispute between the Broncos’ Pat Bowlen Trust members and the owner’s two oldest daughters — Beth Bowlen Wallace and Amie Klemmer, via Ryan O’Halloran of the Denver Post (Twitter links). This process began a few weeks ago. Both Bowlen Wallace and Klemmer have filed a motion to dismiss the arbitration, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic (on Twitter). This is Policy’s first time serving as an NFL arbitrator. The Bowlen Trust members are seeking the arbitrator to determine who will take over as the next Broncos owner, among other points (per Jhabvala). Brittany Bowlen has long been viewed as the Trust’s preferred candidate, and the 29-year-old is expected to return to the Broncos this year.
A defensive tackle in the Chargers’ 4-3 defense the past two seasons, Darius Philon will return to a role as a 3-4 defensive end with his new team. The Cardinals are planning to use Philon as an end, Kliff Kingsbury said (via ESPN.com’s Josh Weinfuss, on Twitter).
C.J. Prosise saw another injury cost him time last season, and Pete Carroll said (via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta) Tuesday the fourth-year running back underwent abdominal surgery recently. The Seahawks lost Mike Davis but still have Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny. Carroll remains hopeful Prosise can contribute, but the former third-round pick has gained just 129 yards from scrimmage over the past two seasons.

Seahawks To Send C.J. Prosise To IR

December 1st, 2018 at 3:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

A C.J. Prosise IR trip will indeed occur for the Seahawks, who made the decision to send the third-year running back to the season-ending injured list Saturday, per the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta (on Twitter).

The Seahawks will promote linebacker Emmanuel Ellerbee from their practice squad to take Prosise’s place.

Mentioned as an IR candidate earlier this week, Prosise has been unable to stay healthy for much of his NFL career. And he hasn’t made much of an impact in Seattle since his rookie season. This year, Prosise played in five games, accumulating just one carry and three receptions. Chris Carson, Mike Davis and Rashaad Penny have each leapfrogged the former Notre Dame dual-threat performer on the depth chart.

Chosen in the 2016 third round, Prosise briefly held the role of Seahawks passing-down back. But injuries have prevented Prosise from building on that fleeting promise. Seattle brass pondered moving him to wide receiver earlier this year. One season remains on Prosise’s rookie contract, and it stands to reason he won’t have an easy path to next season’s Seattle roster.

Seahawks’ C.J. Prosise Could Be IR Candidate

November 30th, 2018 at 7:10pm CST by Micah Powell

Third-year running back C.J. Prosise could end up on injured reserve if the Seahawks need a roster spot, The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta tweets.

That “if” is more likely a “when,” as linebacker Mychal Kendricks is expected to return to the team next week following his suspension.

A third-year back, Prosise suffered an abdomen injury in practice this week.

After a promising rookie campaign in 2016, Prosise has struggled to stay healthy and find consistent playing time. So far in 2018, the Notre Dame product has played just 30 snaps and has -3 rushing yards on one carry. That is a far cry from his first year, when he averaged 5.7 yards per carry and 12.2 yards per reception in six games with Seattle.

Though he has not shown it on the field, Prosise’s potential is still alluring to the Seahawks, who have the back signed through 2019. Due to his low cost and Mike Davis hitting free agency at season’s end, it makes sense to place the pass-catching back on IR and see what happens next season.

West Rumors: Prosise, Cards, Rams, Raiders

September 12th, 2018 at 3:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a promising flash as a rookie, C.J. Prosise has not contributed much to the Seahawks‘ cause. He’s picked up 17 touches since December 2016 and is behind Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny and Mike Davis on the Seattle running back depth chart. However, the team is discussing a position change for the third-year back. Pete Carroll said (via Pro Football Talk) his coaching staff is examining a possible Prosise switch to wide receiver, citing his background at the position in college. Prosise was a wideout at Notre Dame before being switched to the backfield. He caught 29 passes for 516 yards in 2014. The Seahawks are down Doug Baldwin for perhaps multiple weeks, and they have just four healthy wide receivers.

Here’s the latest from the West divisions, shifting to a running back who is also quite adept at the receiver role.

David Johnson is now the NFL’s second-highest-paid running back, holding a substantial lead over the No. 3 player in this hierarchy, and ranks close to the top in terms of fully guaranteed money, too. Johnson’s three-year, $39MM Cardinals extension will come with $24.682MM fully guaranteed at signing, Joel Corry of CBS Sports tweets. Adding in the amount guaranteed for injury increases the deal’s guarantees to $31MM, per Corry, who adds offset language is included in this contract. Johnson’s $24MM-plus full guarantee leads all running backs on veteran contracts, surpassing Todd Gurley‘s $21.9MM in guarantees.
Martavis Bryant is indeed back with the Raiders, as Jon Gruden suggested he could be. An illness and general inconsistency during camp led to Bryant being a preseason cut, Gruden said (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic, on Twitter). Gruden said the perpetual suspension risk, who may or may not be facing another ban, is more focused and may suit up for the team on Sunday in Denver.
In addition to the Raiders’ interest in signing top free agent Johnathan Hankins, Gruden said they’re also interested in adding Clinton McDonald, per Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Hankins is visiting the Raiders on Wednesday. The Broncos released McDonald after the preseason slate. If signed, McDonald would add yet another 30-something to Gruden’s free agency haul. He’s 31.
The Raiders are in need of help at defensive tackle because of a Justin Ellis injury. The fifth-year veteran defensive tackle strained ligaments in his foot, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. He’s week-to-week, prompting Oakland to pursue outside help.
Adam Jones signed with the Broncos late in the preseason, appearing to represent an upgrade at punt returner and No. 4 cornerback. However, the 35-year-old defender appears to have usurped Tramaine Brock for the nickel job, Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com notes. Brock didn’t fare poorly in the preseason and graded as an upper-echelon corner during his last season of full-time work, with the 2016 49ers, but Jones has more experience in Vance Joseph‘s defense from their time together in Cincinnati. If he’s been demoted, it would mark a second straight season the 30-year-old defender’s resided out of a nickel picture. The Vikings carried Brock as a depth piece in 2017.
The Rams are going to need a new return man. Pharoh Cooper suffered an ankle injury and will be out for “some time,” Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com notes. Backup return man Michael Thomas is out for a few weeks, Sean McVay said, to prompt Los Angeles to seek alternative options. Cooper served as the Rams’ kick- and punt-return man last season, soaring to All-Pro honors.