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Seahawks coach Pete Carroll hints Rashaad Penny could start on PUP

By Lee Vowell

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 02: Rashaad Penny #20 of the Seattle Seahawks scores a touchdown during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at CenturyLink Field on December 02, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Seahawks won, 37-30. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - DECEMBER 02: Rashaad Penny #20 of the Seattle Seahawks scores a touchdown during the game against the Minnesota Vikings at CenturyLink Field on December 02, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Seahawks won, 37-30. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /
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Seahawks coach Pete Carroll addressed the media at the combine Tuesday and among his comments was a suggestion Rashaad Penny might need to start 2020 on the PUP list.

We all know what is coming, right 12s? When Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny got hurt at the end of the 2019 season, an ACL injury at that, we knew it would affect 2020, whether we wanted to admit it or not. Heck, an ACL injury could affect a player for the rest of his career. Hopefully, Penny will come back at some point next season and be great.

But the likelihood of his being ready for week one of 2020 is small. According to what Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told the media at the NFL combine on Tuesday, Penny being ready for training camp would be “an extraordinary accomplishment” and that there is no timetable for his return and that the timing of Penny’s injury being so late into the 2019 season is something “that would take you into the PUP thing.”

PUP means player unable to perform. This means Penny could miss the first six weeks of 2020. Even after his return and the fact he is a running back, one should not expect Penny to simply return at the form he left at this past season.

And that is the shame of it all. After being a first-round draft pick and an unspectacular rookie season in 2018, Penny appeared to finally be emerging before his injury in week 14 of 2019. Penny had 370 yards rushing last season, but 203 of those yards came in the two games before his week 14 injury. He got those 203 yards on just 29 carries which means he averaged 7 yards a rush.

Penny also had 4 receptions for another 33 yards and a touchdown in week 13. Sp Penny averaged 118 total yards in his two games before his injury and they came against the Eagles and Vikings, two good defensive teams.

Next. Our latest Seahawks mock draft!. dark

The Seahawks still have Chris Carson, of course, although he is coming off a season-ended injury of his own in 2019. Seattle needs quality running back depth, however. Based on what Carroll said Tuesday, that depth will not be in the form of Rashaad Penny. At least not in the first part of 2020.

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