HEADLINES

Thomas Rawls

Extra Points: Broncos, Joseph, Jets, Rawls, Bears, Trubisky

July 13th, 2018 at 6:59pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

ESPN’s group of AFC West reporters recently took a look at who was on the hottest seat in the division, among coaches, players, and executives. Although Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie‘s name came up a couple of times, the consensus seemed to be that Broncos coach Vance Joseph was the one most likely to be fired should he falter to early on this season.

Recently, our Zach Links asked readers which coach would be the first to be fired in 2018, and Joseph was a popular selection in the poll. Joseph was very nearly fired by John Elway after just one year following a disappointing 5-11 season in 2017, but his job was ultimately spared at the last minute. If new free agent acquisition Case Keenum doesn’t get things turned around in a hurry, there could be an early coaching change in Denver.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

  • In the Jets‘ suddenly crowded running backs room, Thomas Rawls is the “longest shot to make the roster”, according to Darryl Slater of NJ.com. Isaiah Crowell is a lock to make the team, and Slater thinks Bilal Powell, Elijah McGuire, and Trenton Cannon are all in better position than Rawls.
  • Bears guard Kyle Long says the team has “taken the training wheels off” for quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, and that he’s finally “going to be able to do some things creatively and get to showcase his skills”, according to Madeline Kenney of the Chicago Sun Times (Twitter link). Former Bears coach John Fox was often criticized for being overly conservative with Trubisky, and it sounds like Trubisky will finally get to let loose in 2018.
  • In case you missed it, yesterday we took a look at the latest from the AFC East, with notes on the Patriots, Dolphins, and Jets.

Jets Sign RB Thomas Rawls

March 30th, 2018 at 2:21pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jets announced the signing of running back Thomas Rawls. Terms of the deal are not yet known, but it’s likely an inexpensive one-year pact. 

Rawls first entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2015 with the Seahawks. He broke out in his first NFL season when Marshawn Lynch was sidelined with an abdomen injury. In his first start, Rawls amassed 104 yards off of 16 carries and later turned in a 209-yard game. Things trailed off after that, however. He missed significant time in 2016 with a fractured fibula and became an afterthought in 2017.

If Rawls can return to his old form, he could serve as a complementary piece behind new addition Isaiah Crowell and Bilal Powell.

Thomas Rawls To Visit Jets

March 28th, 2018 at 5:38pm CST by Micah Powell

Former Seahawks running back Thomas Rawls is set to visit the Jets on Thursday, a source told Brian Costello of the New York (Twitter link). 

At the outset of the period, Rawls was not tendered by the Seahawks as a restricted free agent.

The visit marks the second stop in free agency for the third-year running back, who also met with the Chiefs earlier this month. The Jets have recently added former Browns running back Isaiah Crowell to their backfield, pairing him with Bilal Powell and Elijah McGuire.

Undrafted coming out of Central Michigan in 2015, Rawls enjoyed a strong start to his career as a fill-in for Marshawn Lynch, posting 830 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games as a rookie. That season he also led the league in yards per attempts with 5.6. He has yet to replicate that success, however, gaining just 506 yards in 21 games over the last two seasons. In 2017, he featured in a revolving-door backfield in Seattle with Eddie Lacy, Chris Carson and J.D. McKissic.

Chiefs Meet With RB Thomas Rawls

March 16th, 2018 at 12:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Running back Thomas Rawls will meet with the Chiefs on Friday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Rawls was non-tendered by the Seahawks this month, making him an unrestricted free agent. 

The Chiefs have Kareem Hunt, Spencer Ware, and Charcandrick West under contract (along with others), so there’s not a clear spot for Rawls in Kansas City. But, after two down years in Seattle, Rawls will probably have to fight for his roster spot anywhere he goes.

Rawls joined the Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2015 and electrified in his rookie year. He ran for 830 yards off of 147 carries, good for an eye-popping 5.6 yards per attempt. He also had four rushing touchdowns and a receiving TD in that season. Things haven’t been the same since, however. Rawls has averaged just three yards per carry over the last two seasons.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/14/18

March 14th, 2018 at 4:06pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Here are today’s restricted free agent and exclusive-rights free agent tender decisions, with the list being updated throughout the day. All links go to Twitter unless otherwise noted:

RFAs

Tendered at the second-round level ($2.914MM):

Tendered at original round level ($1.907MM):

Non-tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

Seahawks’ Thomas Rawls Set To Return

November 14th, 2016 at 12:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks are on the verge of getting running back Thomas Rawls back in the lineup. Coach Pete Carroll told 710 ESPN Seattle that Rawls is practicing to play this week (Twitter link via Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com). Thomas Rawls (Vertical)

If all goes well, Rawls will be activated for Sunday’s game against the Eagles. Last week, Carroll indicated that the tailback looked “fast and confident” in limited practice reps and he’ll get the green light if he can do more in the coming days.

In recent weeks, Christine Michael has slipped, leading Seattle to give more work to C.J. Prosise in yesterday’s win over New England. Now, we could effectively see a three-headed committee in the backfield. If Sunday’s game was any indication, Prosise and Rawls could lead the way while Michael takes a backseat.

Rawls, 23, was a revelation during his rookie season, rushing for more than 800 yards and four touchdowns in relief of Marshawn Lynch. He could see a feature role once again, starting this Sunday afternoon.

Seahawks’ Thomas Rawls Out Several Weeks

September 26th, 2016 at 12:11pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks will have to lean on Christine Michael for awhile, as fellow running back Thomas Rawls will be sidelined “a few weeks” with a hairline fibula fracture, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

[RELATED: Seahawks Promote Terrence Magee]Thomas Rawls (Vertical)

Rawls has been in-and-out of the lineup so far this season as he recovers from the fractured ankle he suffered at the end of the 2015 campaign. He didn’t play on Sunday against the 49ers, and in the two previous games, Rawls had managed only 19 carries, averaging a paltry 1.9 yards per attempt. Michael, now in his second stint with Seattle, will presumably continue to carry the load after scoring twice yesterday, while the Seahawks also boast rookies C.J. Prosise and Alex Collins in addition to the recently-promoted Terrence Magee.

Rawls, 23, was a revelation during his rookie season, rushing for more than 800 yards and four touchdowns in relief of Marshawn Lynch. He surpassed the 100-yard mark four times, including a memorable Week 11 contest against the 49ers, when Rawls ran for 209 yards, the second-highest total in the NFL last year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Thomas Rawls

July 10th, 2016 at 4:18pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks have overhauled their running back corps this offseason in the wake of Marshawn Lynch‘s retirement, spending three draft picks on the position while also re-signing Christine Michael. But the most important member in the running back room remains second-year player Thomas Rawls, who is still recovering from a broken ankle that he suffered in December. Speaking with Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com today, Rawls offered reassurance that he’ll “most definitely” be ready to roll when training camp begins.Thomas Rawls (Vertical)

[RELATED: Seattle Seahawks depth chart]

“Rehab is going phenomenal,” Rawls said. “Running, cutting, working hard, getting back out there. I’m looking forward to being out there the first week. Rehab has been going phenomenal this whole offseason. I don’t have a break because I’ve gotta work 10 times harder. So I’m excited to come back and fill that void in that backfield.”

Seattle head coach Pete Carroll said last month that he “absolutely” expected Rawls to be fully healthy when the regular season starts, but did allow that the club will probably ease the former undrafted free agent into training camp and preseason contests. Indeed, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets that the Seahawks are unlikely to let Rawls play many snaps during the exhibition season, and will instead use those games to evaluate their rookie running back class.

That class is comprised of three 2016 draft picks: third-rounder C.J. Prosise, fifth-rounder Alex Collins, and seventh-rounder Zac Brooks. The club also boasts undrafted rookie free agent Tre Madden, who is listed on the team’s website as a running back, but is widely thought of as more of a fullback. But despite all the new additions, Kapadia still expects Rawls to enter the season as the starter if he’s healthy.

Rawls, who turns 23 years old next month, was a revelation during his rookie season, rushing for more than 800 yards and four touchdowns in relief of Lynch. He surpassed the 100-yard mark four times, including a memorable Week 11 contest against the 49ers, when Rawls ran for 209 yards, the second-highest total in the NFL last year.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NFC Notes: Seahawks, Eagles, Redskins

June 17th, 2016 at 7:01pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Seahawks are making an effort to extend contract-year wide receiver Doug Baldwin, head coach Pete Carroll said Thursday (via Jayson Jenks of The Seattle Times). “The intent is to get him signed and secured for a good while. So we’ll see if we can get that done,” said Carroll, who added that the two sides are “meeting on it right now, so we’re working at it.” It stands to reason that Baldwin – coming off a career season that saw him total personal bests in nearly all major categories – could look for a deal along the lines of the extensions the Jaguars’ Allen Hurns and the Chargers’ Keenan Allen signed earlier this month. Hurns and Allen agreed to four-year pacts worth upward of $40MM apiece, including over $20MM in guarantees each.

More from Seattle and two other NFC cities:

  • Since last season ended, the Eagles have focused more on their long-term future than immediately trying to improve on their 7-9 output in 2015, writes Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer. As a result, owner Jeffrey Lurie and the front office are ready to accept another lean year, according to Ford. That wouldn’t be an optimal outcome, but Ford opines that patience is in order for the Eagles’ fan base. “We knew that we had to get a little uncomfortable for this season and next season, really, to build something that hopefully lasts and gives us a chance at being a really good team again for a long period of time,” executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman said. Roseman made a slew of future-minded moves during the offseason – including trading up in the draft to select quarterback Carson Wentz second overall and doling out extensions to several cornerstone players.
  • In other Seahawks news, Carroll stated Thursday that he expects tight end Jimmy Graham and running back Thomas Rawls to be ready for the regular season. “They would have to incur some issues that we can’t foresee right now for that not to happen,” he told the team’s website. Graham suffered a torn patellar tendon in Week 12 after posting disappointing numbers (48 catches, two touchdowns), while Rawls’ stellar rookie year ended in Week 14 on account of a broken ankle. With Marshawn Lynch having retired, the Seahawks are counting on Rawls to once again look the part of a star back. The former undrafted free agent from Central Michigan rushed for 830 yards on a tremendous 5.6 per-carry average and combined for five touchdowns in 2015.
  • After tearing his Achilles last August and missing the entire 2015 season, Redskins linebacker Junior Galette is on track to return for the start of training camp. “I’m definitely going to be out there with them. I just can’t overcompensate like I did last year,” Galette told Mike Jones of the Washington Post, implying that he came back too soon from a torn pectoral muscle and set himself up for the Achilles injury. Galette, a double-digit-sack defender for the Saints in both 2013 and ’14, re-signed with the Redskins on an inexpensive one-year deal during the winter.

Seahawks Sign Bryce Brown, Put Rawls On IR

December 15th, 2015 at 3:39pm CST by Zachary Links

TUESDAY, 3:39pm: The Seahawks have officially announced the signing of Brown, sending Rawls to the injured reserve list in a corresponding move, tweets Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.

MONDAY, 12:01pm: In the wake of Thomas Rawls‘ season-ending injury, the Seahawks are set to sign running back Bryce Brown, as Rob Rang of CBS tweets. This now marks the third stint on the Seahawks’ roster this season for Brown.

Brown, 24, has showed flashes of promise in the past, but he was bounced by the Bills late in the offseason and it took him until today to find a new home. The Bills traded a 2015 fourth-round pick to the Eagles to acquire Brown before the start of last season and that’s a deal that GM Doug Whaley probably wouldn’t make again. In 2014, Brown ran for a whopping 126 yards off of 36 carries. Since getting cut loose by Buffalo, Brown has worked out for numerous teams and has had a few trips through Seattle.

Brown, a seventh-round pick out of Kansas State in 2012, rushed for a career-best 564 yards and 4 touchdowns as a rookie with the Eagles, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt. He didn’t make a dent in his previous two stints with the Seahawks in 2015, but he could see a larger role now that Rawls is done for the season and Marshawn Lynch‘s recovery timetable remains up in the air.

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