3 first-round mistakes that continue to haunt Seattle Seahawks

Rashaad Penny, running back - 2018 draft, pick 27

Seattle could have had Nick Chubb, running back

In the late 2010s, Seattle was still at a stage where they were trying to get the best player available, at least the best player they deemed worthy. Seattle did not truly need to take a running back in the first round. In fact, unless a running back is almost certain to be a multi-time Pro Bowler, or as certain as any draft pick could be, then waiting until later rounds was and still is the way to go when choosing running backs.

Penny had stayed healthy in college at San Diego State and he was a fast and powerful runner whether he was returning kicks or taking handoffs. Seattle choosing him meant the team was simply looking for the icing on its cake instead of making more batter. For instance, Seattle could have taken safety Terrell Edmunds, who went a pick after Penny, as Seattle had lost Kam Chancellor to a neck injury in the previous season.

Seattle could not have known just how injured Penny was going to be during his career, however. He was never consistently healthy enough to help the team over a full season. He had bursts of greatness, but that only made the fact he wasn't playing much more frustrating. If the team only had a healthy Penny for a couple of years the offense would be so much more explosive.

While I am not going to mention Seattle could have taken Lamar Jackson at pick 27 - doing so would be 20/20 hindsight and unfair to the situation in 2018 - Seattle could have chosen Nick Chubb who was also great in college. Chubb was hurt in 2023, but he missed only seven games prior to this past season. He also has made four Pro Bowls.