A Seahawks and Alex Collins reunion might make sense

The NFL Combine is underway and the Seahawks figure to have a crazy off-season. The focus will be on the defensive side of the ball, but could a reunion with a former Seahawks running back be in the cards?

On Friday, Alex Collins, former Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens running back, was waived by the Ravens after he was arrested in connection to a car crash near the Ravens facility. Collins is reportedly going to be charged by the police, but nobody has reported the crime for which he is being arrested.

Obviously, Collins’ NFL future is on hold until we know the severity of these charges. But if we assume that Collins isn’t looking at jail time, could Collins make sense for the Seahawks?

(Editor’s updated note: Collins has now been charged with “controlled dangerous substance possession with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana in excess of 10 grams and handgun in vehicle.” He had his bond set at $7,500.)

The top of the Seahawks depth chart is, of course, locked down with Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny set to get their touches. But after that the Seahawks face serious questions. Mike Davis is a free agent and the Seahawks seem less than enthused to keep him around. Meanwhile, C.J. Prosise…yeah, what do we need to say?

So yes, the Seahawks need running back depth. Signing a free agent will cost them money and drafting another back would cost them a pick, a commodity they have too few of at the moment. Now, would Collins want to come to Seattle to battle for the third-string spot? Maybe not.

But remember, Collins was waived which means he is subject to waivers guidelines. If the Seahawks win the claim, Collins has no say in that. In addition, claiming Collins could actually net the Seahawks a 5th round pick. You see, Collins will officially become a restricted free agent at the start of the NFL’s new league year in a few weeks.

The Seahawks, or any claiming team, can slap an original round tender on Collins, who was a 5th round pick. In doing so, Seattle would then let Collins hit the market and if a team wanted to sign Collins, the Seahawks could either match the offer and keep him, or decline and collect a 5th round pick.

The Seahawks traditionally don’t play these kinds of roster games, but the team is desperate for draft capital so it may be something they consider. But even if the Seahawks just want Collins on the roster, it could still make a lot of sense.

Collins was a productive player for Baltimore, rushing for 1,384 yards and 13 touchdowns in 25 games. Of course, Collins broke out in 2017, rushing for 973 yards with 6 TDs, averaging a very good 4.6 yards per carry.

Collins battled injury in 2018, playing in just 10 games. But he still managed to rush for 400 yards and 7 TDs. Of course, Collins is not the type of athlete Carson is (few are), and he lacks the upside of Penny. But Seattle is going to run the ball a lot, like it or not, so having three legitimate options may be more important for Seattle than any NFL team.

Seattle ran the ball 534 times last season, 444 of those attempts came from Carson, Penny and Mike Davis. There are plenty of opportunities for the three backs, all of whom have some degree of an injury history to contend with.

There really isn’t any reason for Seattle to not strongly consider Collins unless his legal problems threaten his availability for 2019. The Seahawks like Collins and have an opening on their roster. Seattle loses nothing by claiming him with the potential of immense return on their minor investment.

If Collins’ legal problem becomes a serious situation, the team can simply waive him and lose nothing. There are very few “slam dunks” when it comes to NFL roster decisions. This appears to be as close of a case that I can recall.