Seahawks RB Chris Carson is Shaking up the Committee
By Ben Renner
The Seahawks drafted running back Chris Carson in the seventh round of the NFL Draft, 249th overall, with some celebration from Pete Carroll. Now we’re seeing why Carroll did a jig on the final Draft Day.
Seahawks rookie running back Chris Carson turned heads in Training Camp before an impressive effort in Seattle’s 48-17 romp over the LA Chargers last Sunday. His seven carries for 19 yards and two touchdowns were an impressive 7-19-2 line in a Preseason game.
The Oklahoma State graduate had a long run taken back by a penalty that would have padded his numbers.
In any case, if Carson can simply do this on a regular basis: (courtesy of Ben Baldwin)
he’ll be an asset for the Seahawks as the fourth, lesser-known head in Pete Carroll’s running back monster.
How Will Carson Help the Seahawks Running Game?
By now you should know that the Seahawks weren’t good in the red zone last year, nor were they particularly efficient running the ball in any situation. Seattle scored a touchdown on only 47.62% of their red zone possessions last season, 25th in the NFL. They were ranked 22nd in rushing efficiency, according to Football Outsiders’ DVOA system. These two stats go hand-in-hand.
Being able to run the ball inside the 20, especially inside the 10 or the 5, is a huge advantage for any offense, obviously. The Seahawks missed their traditional goal line masher Marshawn Lynch in 2016, and their offense suffered.
Seahawks General Manager John Schneider tried to address these offensive woes by adding to the offensive line (which Tom Cable insists is improved–it could be, but possibly only if Germain Ifedi is kept away from right tackle) and signing former Packers RB Eddie Lacy.
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Carroll tossed Carson’s name into Schneider’s hat with their final pick of the 2017 NFL Draft. When he became available, Carroll practically jumped for joy (probably). “I fell in love with how tough he is, and how aggressive he is,” he said about Carson after the Draft.
The Biloxi, Mississippi native took a long and winding path to the NFL. He dealt with an ACL tear in high school that kept from the big-time colleges at first. But after an impressive season for Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas, OSU coach Mike Gundy swept in and scooped up Carson for the Cowboys.
Carson showed that aggressiveness in his two touchdowns against the Chargers last Sunday. If the Sehawks had to make cuts today, they’d probably favor Carson over the incumbent fourth running back behind the three-headed monster of Lacy, Thomas Rawls, and C.J. Prosise—Alex Collins.
Next: The Second-Most Interesting Seahawk in 2017: George Fant
The committee is all but locked-in to start the season, but Carson could demand more snaps if he continues to hit holes in the red zone like we saw last Sunday, and his unusual remedy for fumblitis stays effective. Look out for this Seattle offense this year.