NFC Contender Seattle Seahawks may reunite with former first-round pick running back Rashaad Penny this offseason. According to a report, the Seahawks brought in Penny this week for a free-agent visit after spending a year with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles had a robust running back room but Penny didn’t draw a lot of attention or see much action. The 28-year-old hasn’t been able to provide a lot of production in his NFL career but that could change if he signs with the Seahawks.
Penny was selected in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, spending the first five seasons with the Seahawks. He had his best season in 2021 after appearing in just 10 games racking up 749 rushing yards and six touchdowns while leading the league with 6.3 yards per attempt. However, He has been showing flashes of potential that he could break but injuries have derailed his career. He only appeared in just eight games in the last two seasons.
He’ll likely settle for a short-term deal since most teams are looking toward the draft for a prospect. However, Penny still has some upside and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him return. The Eagles running back room looks loaded so there’s no chance of a reunion. Seattle has been active in this year’s free agency for their offense except for the running back position.
It wouldn’t hurt the team to bring Penny back on a cheap one-year contract to complement starter Kenneth Walker III. The Seahawks need a veteran presence in their running back room so it would make sense to do that for the 23-year-old. There are still some available running backs in this year’s free agency but Penny is the closest one that makes sense.
NFC Contender Seattle Seahawks May Reunite With Former First-Round Pick Rashaad Penny
Other Available Running Backs for the Team
There are still several free-agent running backs available for the Seahawks. So it would be wise for the team to explore the market after this year’s draft before committing to Penny. Ezekiel Elliott is a veteran name that hasn’t been able to attract a lot of attention from rosters this year. The Ohio State product was close to returning to the Dallas Cowboys this offseason but they signed Royce Freeman.
It’s looking like the Cowboys are moving on from most of the players that they had in 2016. However, the good news for the Seahawks is that they have two reliable quarterbacks in their roster room who can step up. Trading for Sam Howell could predicate that there could be some quarterback competition with current starter Geno Smith. So why not beef up the running back position for the same competition?
It would make sense for the Seahawks since they’ll likely build up Walker for the long term unless they have other plans. However, thanks to the Russell Wilson trade a couple of years back, the team has little draft capital for this Draft. They don’t have a second-round draft pick this year and they probably won’t focus on drafting a running back until later rounds. However, most will either be gone and there won’t be much availability.
Team Fits for Penny
The Baltimore Ravens are one destination that he could land if they’re looking for depth. They do have Derrick Henry after signing him to a new deal but it doesn’t hurt to add more in case of injuries. Chargers are another possibility despite them just signing J.K. Dobbins to join Gus Edwards and Isaiah Spiller. However, the Panthers running back room looks like they could use another makeover.
They’ve been adding weapons for quarterback Bryce Young after trading for Diontae Johnson from the Steelers. So, they could add a veteran to complement Chuba Hubbard and Tarik Cohen.
