It’s time for the Seahawks to say goodbye to C.J. Prosise

C.J. Prosise has been electric when he’s healthy. That qualifier, “when he’s healthy”, is why the Seahawks need to cut ties with him.

I love to watch C. J. Prosise play. The problem is, as all Seahawks fans know, is that we simply don’t get to see him play very often. It’s pretty well documented, but if you somehow missed this factoid, Prosise has been active for just 11 of 32 possible games with Seattle. Perhaps even more damning, he’s totaled just 64 touches in those 11 games. Prosise was in for 147 snaps in his rookie season of 2015, and almost exactly half that, 74, in 2016. Seattle’s fullbacks were in for 174 snaps over those two years, and we all know they get practically zero play. Hopefully that will change in 2018.

One thing I don’t see changing is Prosise’s playing time. To be more precise, I don’t see his health changing. If you need a refresher, here’s a helpful link to sportsinjury.com and his litany of injuries. Prosise suffered two injuries at Notre Dame, a concussion and a high ankle sprain. Since his arrival in the NFL, the injury bug bit even harder, as he’s had seven separate injuries in just two seasons. Two broken bones and three ankle sprains is not the path to a long NFL career. The hamstring and groin injuries only knocked him out of practice.

The news on Prosise has been all good – but that may not be enough

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There’s been nothing but good news about Prosise so far this summer, and that’s as relief as much as anything. The great Bob Condotta had this response to questions about Prosise in his Seahawks Mailbag for the Seattle Times:

"As for Prosise, there is really no downside to keeping him and seeing what happens and hoping for the best. He’s in the third season of his rookie contract and making $660,000 this year. Seattle would save less than $500,000 waiving him.Given the big-play flashes he has shown in his career — the 72-yard TD run against the Eagles in 2016, the 46-yard reception against Tennessee a year ago, to name two — there doesn’t seem a lot to lose."

I agree, up to a point. If the Seahawks can keep him along with the four running backs they can more likely count on – Chris Carson, Rashaad Penny, J.D. McKissic and Mike Davis – then I’m all for keeping him. That has to include keeping a fullback as well, whether it’s Tre Madden or rookie Khalid Hill. Of course the roster is very much in flux, as there are a couple of pretty important safeties whose futures are up in the air right now. But if one of the five has to go, that one has to be Prosise.

I can’t see the Seahawks counting on Prosise

Unless Prosise absolutely outplays every other back in training camp, it’s time to cut him. If – and that’s a big if – Seattle can only carry four backs plus the fullback, Prosise has to be the one to go. Both Davis and McKissic would be snapped up by another team. With his history, I just think Prosise is a time bomb, waiting for another ankle injury. Both Carson and Davis had injuries last season, but unfortunately Prosise is the injury king. It just doesn’t make sense to keep a player that can barely stay on the field. I’m not the only one who thinks so, either.

And that really stinks. If you need a reminder of how good he can be, here you go:

Next: C.J. Prosise is on a lot of minds these days

Like I said at the very beginning, I love to watch C.J. Prosise play. His runs are things of beauty. Sort of like watching a gazelle speed along the savannah, then running over the last lion in front of the water hole. Speed and power, Prosise has it. Unfortunately, his talents have come at a cost, one the Seahawks just can’t afford to pay.