Eddie Lacy Makes Weight Incentive Again on Monday

The Seattle Seahawks will pay Eddie Lacy an extra $55 thousand as Lacy weighed in under 250 pounds on Monday.

Lacy has a contract that is laden with weight incentives. On Monday he earned his June incentive money by coming in under his 250-pound goal. Lacy is two-for-two in these goals so far as he also made weight in May. He will have another chance in August to earn $55 thousand if he maintains a weight of less than 250 pounds. During the season – September through December – Lacy must stay below 245 pounds to make his monthly bonus.

Lacy’s former team, the Green Bay Packers, chose not to resign Lacy this offseason as they tired of the running back’s weight issues. During his stay with the Packers, Lacy was sometimes above 260 pounds. Green Bay wanted Lacy to play in the 230s. The Seahawks simply want Lacy to stay under 245 pounds. Coach Pete Carroll has said he wants Lacy to be a bit heavy to absorb, and give-out, punishment. Even a bigger Lacy in Green Bay was able to run with agility and create yards-after-first-contact. Lacy ranked first, though in limited time, in the NFL in yards-after-contact in 2016 at 2.8. He also ranked second in avoided tackles.

The Seahawks are still looking for a running back to stay healthy enough to replace Marshawn Lynch. Thomas Rawls was expected to take on a bigger load in 2016. In 2015, Rawls was excellent before being injured. In 2016, Rawls simply could not stay consistently healthy. Neither could running back C.J. Prosise. Prosise showed great potential in the Seahawks win over the New England Patriots last year. But like Rawls, Prosise also was not healthy for long stretches.

If Lacy maintains the same commitment towards rushing the ball as he has in meeting his weight goals, Seattle may have found their Lynch replacement. Moreover, Lacy only signed a one-year contract with the Seahawks. This could mean that Lacy stays so motivated he has his best season. This would mean great things for Lacy and for the Seahawks.