Seahawks making do without Chris Carson or Rashaad Penny in camp
The Seattle Seahawks had to bring in Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin last season when running backs Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny and C.J. Prosise succumbed to injuries late in the year.
This training camp is shaping up to be no different, and it’s the next-man-up mentality in the running back room that is spurring on the competition for backups like Travis Homer.
“He had an incredible offseason, he’s just as jacked as he’s ever been,” coach Pete Carroll told reporters on Wednesday. “And he’s the kind of kid that he’s so tough and his mentality is so strong, that he’s going to help us at the running back spot. He’s got great perimeter speed, he’s catching the ball really well, he really hits the line of scrimmage, so he’s there.”
With Carson in Georgia for the near future dealing with a death in the family and Rashaad Penny on the Physically Unable to Perform list, players are stepping up in their absence – and Homer isn’t the only one getting noticed.
“To add Carlos Hyde to this group is really something for us,” Carroll continued. “You’ve been around us enough, you know the style that we run with, and we’ve loved the way Chris Carson has run, well they’re very similar in what they bring. So it’s a downhill one-two punch and those guys, the speed that we get from Rashaad, all of the variety of plays that Rashaad runs, and then with Homer, it’s a nice mix.”
Finally, a rookie draft pick is getting his shot at the action as well.
“Interestingly to add to that is that DeeJay Dallas has made a really good first impression,” Carroll noted. “He’s very versatile, he catches the ball well, he runs well, runs routes real well – has a background of running routes as a receiver, has a quarterback background going back to high school. He’s got a real versatility to him, so I’m anxious to see what he can do.”
So despite Carson and Penny being out for now, Seattle is making the most of the other running backs on the roster, who will be busy competing for time on game days.
