Tag: 1693

RENTON, Wash. — For the first time in his NFL career, running back Rashaad Penny began training camp as the Seattle Seahawks‘ projected starter.

It didn’t happen as a rookie in 2018, when Chris Carson returned from his broken leg and reclaimed the job, even though the Seahawks had just drafted Penny No. 27 overall. It didn’t happen in any of the next three seasons, as Carson entrenched himself as Seattle’s lead back while Penny was sidelined by one injury after another, including a torn ACL in December 2019 that shelved him for almost all of 2020.

So only now, with Carson out of the picture following plans to retire due to a neck injury, Penny is heading toward the start of the season as the Seahawks’ clear-cut RB1, coming off a torrid five-game stretch at the end of last season in which he led the NFL with 671 rushing yards.

“I don’t think like that,” Penny said when asked about being the clear-cut RB1 last week after the first practice of camp. “I’ve got a lot of stuff to prove to myself. Again, I’ve still got to be healthy … I’ve got a big chip on my shoulder this year, so I really don’t see anything as far as that, but I’m excited about the opportunity and we’ll just see where it goes from here.”

Penny isn’t getting ahead of himself because he knows his spot on the depth chart doesn’t mean much unless he can stay on the field. So far, so good. His only injury hiccup this offseason was a brief absence in the spring to rest what coach Pete Carroll described as a minor hamstring issue. He’s taken part in all five practices of camp and closed out the second one with a long touchdown run in which he sprinted past Seattle’s defense.

• Can Penny shine as Seahawks’ RB1?
• Titans’ Woods, Farley ACL rehabs
• Bill Russell’s impact felt throughout Patriots
• Inside Jets’ wild Idaho escape
• What’s next for Jimmy Garoppolo?

“I think this is the best condition that he’s ever been,” Carroll said, “and I know he’s going to be flying.”

Interestingly, Carroll said the same thing last summer after Penny reported to camp on the leaner side of his weight range at 225 pounds. He came back this year at 237, which he’s played at in the past. Penny said some of that weight is muscle he’s added in his lower body but hinted that he wants to drop a few pounds this summer.

“Rashaad is in great shape,” Carroll said. “Two-thirty-seven he weighed. Just cut and sharp and fast and excited because he had such a great offseason. He looked terrific. He couldn’t wait to get out here and just run. He really wanted to show us that he could go, and he looked just like he did when we finished up at the end, so that was really fun to see that.”

That was a reference to Penny’s scorching finish to last season. With Carson on the sideline because of the neck injury — and with some motivation from Adrian Peterson — Penny ran for 208 more yards than the next-best rusher over the final five games. His six rushing touchdowns in that span tied for the league lead and were one more than he totaled to that point in three-plus seasons.

That stretch of brilliance earned Penny something that would have previously been hard to imagine — a second contract with Seattle. He tested free agency before returning on a one-year deal worth $5.75 million, all but $680,000 of which is guaranteed.

The Seahawks had added motivation to bring back Penny with Carson’s football future in doubt. The team released him a day before camp with a failed physical, a procedural move that makes him eligible to earn some of the non-guaranteed money he was set to make in 2022.

Penny, a close friend of Carson’s, called his retirement “heartbreaking.” Carroll did the same.

“I loved him on our team,” Carroll said. “It breaks my heart to not have him again, particularly with how we’re going about it.”

As in, with how much they’ve always liked to run the ball — Seattle has the NFL’s fourth-highest designed rush percentage since 2012 — and with how much of a focus that will be in their post-Russell Wilson offense. What other choice do they have than to lean on their revamped defense and run game and hope Drew Lock and/or Geno Smith can manage their way to victories?

That plan and their doubts about Carson gave the Seahawks more reason to reinforce their backfield by drafting Kenneth Walker III with one their two second-round picks. Walker has flashed his 4.38 speed and much better receiving skills than you might have assumed from a player who caught only 13 passes during his Heisman-finalist 2021 season at Michigan State.

“He’s fast,” Penny said of the 5-foot-9, 211-pound Walker. “This dude, he can play. He kind of reminds me of a smaller Chris. We’ll see when we get pads on … He fears nothing. I like the way he just wants to learn and wants to be great.”

Penny has missed 30 of a possible 69 games (including playoffs) in his career due to injury. Only twice has he carried more than 20 times in a game. So Walker figures to get plenty of work, whether by design or out of necessity. Seattle also has Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas as change-of-pace options. Their contributions on special teams make them safe bets to make the opening-day roster.

“We’re really fired up about Ken being here too now,” Carroll said. ” … It’s going to be a fantastic opportunity for us to see those guys play. It takes more than one.”

With pads coming on, the second week of camp will offer a look into whether Penny is again running with the same aggressive style that was evident during his closing surge last year.

“I feel like as far as what I did last season, it was kind of no surprise to me because I always knew what I could do,” he said. “I think the hard part was just me getting to play on Sundays … and now that I’m feeling healthy and I’m feeling at my best, I can’t wait to actually take off this year.”

RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks report to 2022 training camp on Tuesday at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Here’s a closer look at a few storylines:

Biggest question: Can the Seahawks be competitive without quarterback Russell Wilson? Despite how it might have looked to casual observers when the Seahawks parted with Wilson and linebacker Bobby Wagner, this is a team in transition as opposed to a full-on rebuild. Shelling out big money to keep 29-year-old safety Quandre Diggs and other veteran players like running back Rashaad Penny and tight end Will Dissly says as much. Those re-signings, plus other marquee returning players (receivers DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, safety Jamal Adams) plus two sure-fire starters they got back in the Wilson trade (tight end Noah Fant and defensive end Shelby Harris) plus a big free-agent addition (edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu) and a promising draft class that featured their first top-10 pick since 2010 (offensive tackle Charles Cross) leave the Seahawks with a solid roster … outside of quarterback.

Their defense and backfield look strong enough to keep them in games if quarterbacks Drew Lock and/or Geno Smith can be capable game managers. But can they avoid enough mistakes to play that way? And can they deliver in crunch time like Wilson so often did? If Lock doesn’t show that he’s worthy of a longer look, Seattle has the extra 2023 first-rounder from the Wilson trade to target his long-term replacement in next year’s draft.

The most compelling position battle: Will Lock’s upside or Smith’s familiarity win out? Lock and Smith are duking it out in the Seahawks’ first quarterback competition since 2012. That was the year that Wilson (an electric rookie) beat out free-agent pickup Matt Flynn (the presumed starter for much of the offseason) and incumbent Tarvaris Jackson (whom the locker room loved). The intrigue in this competition won’t come from name value but from how close it might be.

Some in the organization have anticipated that Lock’s talent (which hasn’t been his issue in three up-and-down seasons) will win out. But there’s a thought that he may have to win convincingly or else Seattle’s coaching staff will opt for the more known commodity in Smith and award anything close to a tie to the 10th-year veteran who’s backed up Wilson the last three seasons. Pete Carroll made it clear that Smith was still ahead when the offseason program ended.

The player with the most to prove: Can Adams return to his 2020 form? In his debut season in Seattle, Adams recorded a defensive-back record 9.5 sacks en route to his third straight Pro Bowl. He looked worthy of the big price the Seahawks paid to get him (a package that included two first-round picks) and to keep him (an extension that made him the NFL’s highest-paid safety). Then 2021 happened.

Adams was held without a sack and had as many forgettable plays in coverage as productive ones. He also played through injuries for the second straight year until his season ended after 12 games because of a re-torn left shoulder labrum that required another surgery. Adams’ dropoff in pass-rushing production last season was largely the result of all the attention opponents started paying to him after his record sack binge, which led Seattle to blitz him less often. He may benefit more than anyone from the scheme changes they’re implementing because he should be harder for offenses to pinpoint pre-snap. But he has to stay on the field for any of that to matter.

Fiercest fantasy relevant position battle: Can Penny last as RB1? Chris Carson‘s chances of returning from neck surgery continue to look iffy, with word still yet to emerge on whether he’s been medically cleared. There’s no question as to who would be the No. 1 option in his absence. Penny is the guy after his stellar finish to last season, when he led the NFL in rushing by a wide margin over the final five games. But you know the deal with Penny: his long injury history makes it unlikely that he’ll be there for all 17 games.

Even when he is healthy, the Seahawks will almost certainly try to manage his workload with an eye towards keeping him fresh. Second-round pick Ken Walker III figures to factor heavily into the backfield rotation one way or another. He’s a must-have handcuff for any fantasy player with Penny on their roster.

As NFL training camps swing into action, NFL Nation looks at the top storylines and offers a prediction for each team.
• Storylines, predictions »
• 53-man projections »
• Full 2022 schedule | Depth charts »
• Transactions | Injuries | More NFL »

What’s the deal with Metcalf’s contract situation? The Seahawks typically don’t finalize big-money extensions until the start of training camp, so they aren’t necessarily behind schedule with Metcalf. And they’ve sounded optimistic that they’ll get a deal done, but it doesn’t seem like a slam dunk given everything that’s happened since March. The receiver market exploded, leading general manager John Schneider to express sticker shock at some of the megadeals. Then Metcalf skipped mandatory minicamp with an unexcused absence, which was surprising given that he had taken part in some voluntary work.

The steep fines are a huge disincentive for training-camp holdouts, but the recent trend with Seahawks and other players in Metcalf’s position has been to “hold in,” meaning they show up to camp but don’t participate in any on-field work, thereby avoiding fines and the risk of injury. Will Metcalf do the same?

Camp prediction: Coby Bryant will be a Week 1 starter at cornerback. Seattle’s rookie corner has more than a famous name. He also has a ton of college experience (53 career games) and some serious ball skills (the best of any defender in this year’s draft, if you ask him). Those traits could make him more NFL-ready than most rookie corners drafted in the fourth round.

It also helps that the position is wide open. Sidney Jones IV looks like a favorite to start at one of the spots, but no one is entrenched. Tre Flowers won a starting job at corner as a rookie in 2018 — even as a converted safety. So Carroll isn’t afraid to trust young players at that position. For that matter, fifth-round rookie Tariq Woolen could factor into the competition along with Tre Brown and Artie Burns.

This offseason has brought the Seattle Seahawks‘ biggest defensive shift of the Pete Carroll era.

New coordinator. Somewhat new scheme. Several new players at key positions.

With training camp opening July 27, let’s take stock of the latter. After examining the offense last week, here’s a position-by-position look at the Seahawks’ defense with a verdict on whether each is better, worse or the same as 2021.

Edge

Additions: Uchenna Nwosu, Boye Mafe, Tyreke Smith, Joshua Onujiogu

Losses: Carlos Dunlap II, Rasheem Green, Kerry Hyder Jr., Benson Mayowa

Returners: Darrell Taylor, Alton Robinson

Better, worse of the same: Better

• Gronk embraces next stage in life
• CB duo powering Dolphins’ secondary
• Is the Packers offense better or worse?
• How Seattle’s defense has changed
• Do Adams and Carr still have chemistry?

So much else has happened with the Seahawks that perhaps their most significant offseason acquisition has flown under the radar. But consider this: the two-year, $19.055 million deal Seattle signed Nwosu to in March carries the highest annual average of any contract they’ve given to another team’s free agent under Carroll and general manager John Schneider.

That reflects two things: they’re not big spenders in free agency, and they view the 25-year-old Nwosu as an ascending player who will boost their pass rush. He’s much younger than Dunlap and a much better fit for a new front that will favor smaller, quicker bodies on the edge. Dunlap was excellent after his midseason arrival in 2020 and again during a strong finish to last season but was a non-factor during the first 11 games of 2021.

Mafe will factor heavily into the edge-rushing rotation. He generated first-round buzz among some draft analysts before Seattle chose him early in the second round.

Interior defensive line

Additions: Shelby Harris, Quinton Jefferson, Matthew Gotel

Losses: Robert Nkemdiche

Returners: Poona Ford, Al Woods, L.J. Collier, Bryan Mone, Myles Adams, Jarrod Hewitt

Better, worse of the same: Better

“Better” is an easy call with a pair of notable additions and no significant losses. Harris, acquired from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade, has a combined 14.5 sacks over the last three seasons and a knack for knocking down passes at the line of scrimmage. Jefferson returns after two seasons away with the Buffalo Bills and Las Vegas Raiders, respectively.

Nkemdiche played sparingly in the second half of last season as the Seahawks gave Collier more snaps. Collier had a strong offseason, according to new coordinator Clint Hurtt, but the 2019 first-round pick has a lot of competition for playing time in what will be a make-or-break fourth season.

Inside linebacker

Additions: Joel Iyiegbuniwe, Levi Jones

Losses: Bobby Wagner

Returners: Jordyn Brooks, Cody Barton, Nick Bellore, Jon Rhattigan, Ben Burr-Kirven, Aaron Donkor, Tanner Muse, Lakiem Williams

Better, worse of the same: Worse

Barton would have been a full-time starter earlier in his career had the 2019 third-round pick not been stuck behind a future Hall of Famer in Wagner and another excellent linebacker in K.J. Wright. With Seattle releasing Wagner in March — parting with the last holdover from their dominant defenses of the Legion of Boom era — Barton is getting his long-awaited chance.

“I think people are going to be surprised at how well he plays,” said one Seahawks talent evaluator of Barton.

The Seahawks might have their fastest linebacker corps in years with Barton joining Brooks in the starting lineup, but they figure to miss Wagner’s experience.

Safety

Additions: Bubba Bolden, Deontai Williams, Joey Blount, Scott Nelson

Losses: Gavin Heslop

Returners: Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs, Ryan Neal, Ugo Amadi, Marquise Blair, Josh Jones

Better, worse of the same: The same

This is pretty much the same group as last season, with all their key players back and undrafted rookies making up the only additions.

Health and scheme could be big difference-makers for Adams. The Seahawks believe the changes to the way they’re using their safeties will make him harder for opponents to pinpoint. That was a factor in his disappointing 2021 season, as were more injuries. He had offseason surgery on his twice-torn left shoulder labrum as well as repeat surgeries on two fingers on his left hand.

Cornerback

Additions: Coby Bryant, Tariq Woolen, Artie Burns, Justin Coleman, Josh Valentine-Turner, Elijah Jones

Losses: D.J. Reed, Bless Austin, Nigel Warrior

Returners: Sidney Jones IV, Tre Brown, John Reid, Michael Jackson Sr.

Better, worse of the same: Worse

The Seahawks made an understandable decision to not top the three-year, $33 million deal Reed got from the New York Jets. But when they let their best cornerback walk in free agency, didn’t sign a sure-fire starter to replace him then waited until Day 3 to draft one, they set themselves up to take a step back.

That would have been a different story if either Derek Stingley Jr. or Sauce Gardner fell to them at No. 9. With both gone, they took Bryant in the fourth round before doubling up with Woolen in the fifth. Woolen is a developmental prospect, whereas Bryant has the ball skills and savvy to beat out Burns and others for a starting job right way. Brown, who’s coming back from a knee injury that ended a strong start to his rookie season, could factor into that battle eventually.

RENTON, Wash. — In addition to whomever replaces quarterback Russell Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks‘ offense will have a new primary target at tight end, a new No. 2 running back who figures to get plenty of work and, in all likelihood, three new starters on its offensive line.

Indeed, the changes the Seahawks made on that side of the ball this offseason go well beyond quarterback.

But we’ll start there as we take a position-by-position look at Seattle’s offense with a verdict on whether each is better, worse or the same compared to 2021.

Quarterback

Additions: Drew Lock

Losses: Russell Wilson

Returners: Geno Smith, Jacob Eason

Better, worse or the same: Worse

When you go from a likely Hall of Famer to a pair of replacement options who haven’t been able to hold down starting jobs, it isn’t a question of whether you’re going to be worse at quarterback but of how significant the drop-off will be.

• HOFer Branch was more than his speed
• Broncos made changes at every level
• Jeremy Ruckert’s big homecoming
• Who needs to step up for Panthers?
• Calais Campbell seeks titles in NFL, poker

After all, Wilson’s career-low 54.7 Total QBR in 2021 is better than what Lock has managed in any of his three NFL seasons. Smith has posted a higher QBR only once in nine seasons (2015).

Which begs two questions: Why didn’t the Seahawks make a stronger run at Baker Mayfield, who was acquired for next to nothing? And could they still go after Jimmy Garoppolo?

The former 49ers starter hasn’t been medically cleared following shoulder surgery and with the start of training camp only two weeks away, he’d have to learn a new offense and build chemistry with a new group of pass-catchers quickly. Also, the Seahawks — even with mediocre defenses in recent seasons — have had his number since his trade to San Francisco. So how big of an upgrade would they consider him to be over their current options?

The Seahawks believe Lock has much more upside than the shaky start to his career suggests and think a different coaching style can help coax better play out of him. But he’ll have to beat out Smith first, and Lock was behind in that race when the offseason program ended.

Running back

Additions: Ken Walker III, Darwin Thompson

Losses: Alex Collins, Adrian Peterson

Returners: Rashaad Penny, *Chris Carson, DeeJay Dallas, Travis Homer, Josh Johnson

Better, worse or the same: Better

Carson’s place among the returners comes with an asterisk because while he’s still under contract, he hasn’t been medically cleared following neck surgery. And the fact that it hasn’t happened yet suggests his chances of returning are more doubtful than questionable.

But remember, Carson played in only the first four games last season, so he would hardly count as a loss from 2021. If he returns, he would effectively be an addition.

If not, Penny would be the No. 1 option after his stellar finish to last season. His health is the other big variable in Seattle’s backfield equation, as Penny has missed 30 of a possible 69 career games (including playoffs) due to injury. Whether it’s because Penny misses more time and/or because the Seahawks manage his touches to prevent overwork, Walker should factor heavily into the rotation. ESPN’s Todd McShay rated Walker, a second-round pick, as the best running back in this year’s draft.

Wide receiver

Additions: Marquise Goodwin, Bo Melton, Dareke Young, Deontez Alexander, Kevin Kassis

Losses: None

Returners: DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Freddie Swain, Dee Eskridge, Penny Hart, Cody Thompson, Cade Johnson, Aaron Fuller

Better, worse or the same: The same

Barring a Metcalf holdout or trade in the absence of an extension, Seattle will return its top three of Metcalf, Lockett and Swain.

Eskridge is the X factor. Last year’s second-round pick could overtake Swain as the No. 3 and give Seattle’s receiver corps a speedy and versatile option if he’s healthy, but that has been a challenge. A toe injury and a concussion led to a nondescript rookie season. Then he was sidelined for part of this year’s offseason program because of his hamstring, prompting coach Pete Carroll to openly lament about the time Eskridge has missed.

Goodwin, added on a minimum-salary deal, isn’t assured of making the team. Ditto for rookie seventh-rounders Melton and Young.

As for Metcalf’s contract, the Seahawks still sounded optimistic about getting a deal done after the receiver skipped mandatory minicamp. But given where the market has gone, it doesn’t seem like a slam dunk.

Tight end

Additions: Noah Fant, Cade Brewer

Losses: Gerald Everett

Returners: Will Dissly, Colby Parkinson, Tyler Mabry

Better, worse or the same: Better

Fant, part of Seattle’s return package in the Wilson trade, is a clear upgrade over Everett. He and Dissly give the Seahawks their best tight-end duo in years.

There’s a widely-held belief within the organization that tight ends will benefit from the Wilson trade because whichever quarterback starts for Seattle will throw the ball to the short-middle area of the field more than their predecessor did.

Offensive line

Additions: Charles Cross, Abraham Lucas, Austin Blythe, Shamarious Gilmore, Liam Ryan

Losses: Duane Brown, Brandon Shell, Ethan Pocic

Returners: Gabe Jackson, Damien Lewis, Dakoda Shepley, Kyle Fuller, Jake Curhan, Stone Forsythe, Phil Haynes, Greg Eiland

Better, worse or the same: Better

Tough call between “better” and “the same.”

Because while the Seahawks might have solidified the future bookends of their offensive line by drafting Cross with the ninth pick and Lucas at No. 72 overall, there will likely be growing pains as those two transition to the NFL from pass-heavy college schemes in which they didn’t play from a three-point stance.

Then again, the aging Brown and the banged-up Shell were 26th and 27th, respectively, in pass block win rate among tackles last season. So it’s realistic for Seattle to be better in that department.

The Seahawks would be in barely charted territory if Lucas beats out Curhan and Forsythe on the right side to join Cross in the starting lineup. According to ESPN Stats & Information, only two teams since 1970 have started rookie tackles in Week 1.

Blythe, the projected starter at center, has a background with offensive coordinator Shane Waldron and O-line coach Andy Dickerson. But it remains to be seen how much of an upgrade, if any, he is over Pocic.

RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks‘ breakout candidate for 2022 isn’t a player, so much as an entire position group. The team is expecting big things from its tight ends — a unit headlined by newcomer Noah Fant and Will Dissly — and one of the reasons might surprise you.

While it’s a virtual certainty that there will be a sizable drop-off from Russell Wilson to whichever quarterback ends up replacing him, the widely held belief inside the Virginia Mason Athletic Center is that tight ends will benefit from the switch, as counterintuitive as it may sound.

Specifically, the expectation is that Drew Lock and/or Geno Smith will be more inclined to dump the ball off and throw it to the short-middle portion of the field, which is tight end territory. Thus, Fant, Dissly & Co. will be more involved in the Seahawks’ offense than their tight ends have been for much of the past decade.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, 25% of Wilson’s career pass attempts have been thrown zero to 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage and between the field numbers. That’s the fourth-lowest rate in the NFL among 55 passers with at least 1,000 attempts since 2012.

It hasn’t stopped Wilson from becoming one of the game’s elite quarterbacks, but favoring deep shots to the perimeter over shorter throws helps explain why his tight ends were rarely a prominent feature of the Seahawks’ offense.

• Will NFC East finally have repeat champ?
• ‘Hollywood’ Brown feeling at home with Cards
• A look at Bengals on rookie contracts
• Which AFC East team can dethrone the Bills?
• MVS off to good start with Mahomes

Over Wilson’s 10-year run in Seattle, they ranked 14th in percentage of pass attempts thrown to tight ends, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The only times they finished inside the top 10 were 2015 and 2017, Jimmy Graham‘s first and final seasons in Seattle. In the three seasons before Graham arrived, they were 19th to 21st. In the four seasons since he left, they’ve been 14th to 24th.

With Fant coming over from the Denver Broncos in the Wilson trade, and Dissly re-signing after testing free agency, the Seahawks might have their best group of tight ends since those Graham days.

In three seasons since the Broncos drafted him 20th overall — Seattle was preparing to take him with the next pick — Fant ranks eighth among NFL tight ends in catches (170), eighth in yards (1,905) and tied for 21st in touchdowns (10).

“Goals for Year 4 is to take that leap, right?” Fant said in April. “I’m kind of stuck at that high-600 [yards] ceiling, and I’ve got to break through that. I think I have every opportunity to do that in Seattle, and I’m excited to get to work to do that.”

Dissly’s receiving production has been modest by comparison — fewer than 25 catches and 300 yards in all four seasons — but he’s flashed occasional brilliance in the passing game and has been every bit the blocking force the Seahawks hoped he’d be when they drafted him to be a key piece of their run-heavy offense. He’s missed only two games (one was because he landed on the COVID-19 list) over the past two seasons after his first two were cut short by serious injuries.

The Seahawks are hoping 6-foot-7 Colby Parkinson can catch on after an injury-shortened rookie season in 2020 and nondescript ’21. Tyler Mabry and undrafted rookie Cade Brewer are competing for the fourth spot, should Seattle keep that many.

“It’s a good group,” Carroll said at the end of last month’s minicamp. ” … Will is an all-around guy. We can count on him to do everything. Noah probably had one of, maybe the most spectacular camps of anybody. I just thought he made plays throughout the whole time: down the field, short-area stuff, understanding the scheme, all of it. He just adapted so beautifully. I didn’t know him other than through the draft process, but he handled himself just impeccably.

“Maybe the guy that’s most exciting is Colby. Colby Parkinson really became a go-to guy, and he’s got that tremendous frame and catching range and he runs really well. … We’ve got a lot of flexibility with these guys, and they’re going to be a big part of what we’re doing.”

If that wasn’t the plan, the Seahawks wouldn’t have made significant financial commitments in re-signing Dissly to a much larger deal than anyone expected, then picking up the fifth-year option on Fant’s rookie contract, making him the first 2019 draft pick to have his fifth-year option picked up.

Interestingly, Fant’s old team helped Dissly get paid. The Broncos wanted him to help replace Fant, arm Wilson with a familiar target and get one of the NFL’s better in-line tight ends. When Denver made its push for Dissly, the Seahawks upped their offer to three years and $24 million.

A month later, before Fant had stepped foot onto their practice field, the Seahawks picked up his $6.85 million option for 2023. It was the first fifth-year option they’ve exercised, having declined to do so with their five eligible first-round picks since the options were instituted in 2011.

“Obviously, that was a huge testament,” Fant said. “It kind of showed their faith in me.”

Fant described offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s Seahawks offense as “very favorable” for tight ends, noting how the passing game utilizes them down the field. They’ll have a lesser quarterback than Wilson throwing them the ball, but with it could come more opportunities.

“I think what’s cool for Noah in this offense is, I think you’re going to get to see a little bit more of just his feel for football in general,” said Lock, Fant’s teammate in Denver, last month. “His savviness, his whereabouts of bodies around him, how he feels defenses … I think we could have maybe pressed the field with him a little bit more in Denver, but he’s going to have the opportunity to do that here, and I know he’s pumped about it.”

RENTON, Wash. — The Seattle Seahawks are undergoing their most significant defensive shift under coach Pete Carroll.

They have a new coordinator in Clint Hurtt, who was promoted before Seattle hired a pair of high-ranking assistants to work with him. The new brain trust of Carroll — Hurtt, associate head coach Sean Desai and defensive passing game coordinator Karl Scott — is installing a refreshed scheme that it hopes will fix the issues that led to some historically futile stretches in each of the past two seasons.

Consider safety Jamal Adams a fan.

“It’s really exciting,” Adams said during minicamp. “We brought in some coaches that really are eager to teach everybody. It’s a defense that I know [Quandre] Diggs and I are really excited to be a part of. It’s very aggressive to where we can be interchangeable, to where we can make a lot of plays on the back end.”

Perhaps no one on Seattle’s defense stands to benefit more from the scheme changes than Adams, the strong safety who made the Pro Bowl during a record-setting debut season in Seattle in 2020 but was underwhelming during a disappointing 2021 follow-up.

Actually, the strong- and free-safety designations might be less applicable to Adams and Diggs in Seattle’s new defense.

• Bears impressed with Justin Fields’ growth
• Wentz’s spring has Commanders optimistic
• Deebo Samuel among 49ers’ looming issues
• Broncos like Baron Browning as pass-rusher
• Where things stand with Seahawks, Metcalf

In the front seven, the Seahawks will incorporate more 3-4 looks in a continuation of the shift that began last season. On the back end, they’ll run more split-safety looks — a hallmark of the Vic Fangio system that Hurtt and Desai learned as assistants under Fangio with the Chicago Bears. The idea is that if Adams and Diggs are both aligned as high safeties before the snap, opposing quarterbacks can’t determine as easily who is doing what on a given play.

On a larger scale, the goal is to keep offenses guessing by being able to run multiple coverages out of the same pre-snap alignment.

“I think it’s going to help both of us,” Diggs said. “I think guys can’t automatically tag [Adams] and say he’s in the box and he’s blitzing and slide his way. I’ve always learned from the different quarterbacks that I play with. They always watch the backside safety. And now with the backside safety just showing something different or kind of sitting there … you don’t know what we are in. You don’t know what checks we have. So I think that’s going to be dope.”

The belief inside the Virginia Mason Athletic Center is that Adams went from 9.5 sacks in 2020 — the most by a defensive back since sacks became an official stat in 1982 — to zero last season in large part because he became too easy for opponents to pinpoint. With offenses paying more attention to Adams, the Seahawks significantly dialed back his blitzing. He averaged four per game compared to 8.25 in 2020, even though he played 5.75 more snaps per game as Seattle’s defense struggled to get off the field.

But some in the organization think more creativity with how Adams was deployed as a blitzer would have made him less predictable.

“If every time this guy’s in this position, he’s doing this, well, it makes it easier for that opponent to say, ‘OK, he’s here, we’re doing this,'” said Scott, who coaches defensive backs in addition to his defensive passing game coordinator role. “Whereas if he’s in this position, now he’s going to the half, he’s blitzing, now he’s playing curl-flat … now the multiples occur and now it’s the guessing game on them. Kind of taking the chalk back and having the chalk last to dictate what they’re doing instead of them dictating to us.”

Adams and Diggs will have more freedom to move around pre-snap in order to disguise defensive looks and make that guessing game even harder on opposing quarterbacks.

“If you know the nuances of what offenses are looking for, that can help you as a player disguise and have a little bit of control in what you’re disguising,” Scott said. “Because at the end of the day, you’re trying to disguise to fool them, not yourself. It’s kind of like organized chaos.”

The four-year, $70 million extension Adams signed last summer likely ties him to the Seahawks for at least the next two seasons, as they’d incur more than $21 million in dead money by moving on from him before then. So he’s far from at a crossroads in Seattle. But Adams does need to produce more like he did in 2020 for the Seahawks to justify the investment they have made — two first-round picks and a record extension to keep him.

The changes to Seattle’s scheme will only make a difference for Adams if he can stay healthy. That includes a twice-torn left shoulder labrum that required surgery in each of the past two offseasons. He and Diggs — who’s also coming off surgery after dislocating his ankle and breaking his fibula in last season’s finale — took part in walk-throughs during minicamp. Adams left no doubt he’ll be full-speed by the time training camp begins on July 27, while Diggs said his plan is to be back by then.

Adams also had repeat surgeries this offseason on the ring and middle fingers of his left hand, which he started dislocating in 2020. They’re fused at such an angle that he can no longer fully bend them into a fist.

Between the injuries to his shoulder and fingers, Adams said he “played with one arm damn-near for two years.”

“It’s for the love of the game,” he said. “Been going through that for two years now. My first year when I got here, I dislocated by ring finger probably about 10 times, and the other one probably about … 12. Been dealing with that. Ain’t really said much. Let everybody talk about it, whatever. But it’s good now, and they’re in trouble.”

New fingers, new shoulder, new coaches, new scheme.

Can all that unlock the Adams of old?

RENTON, Wash. — If DK Metcalf had any doubt at the end of last season whether he’d get a contract extension from the Seattle Seahawks, you couldn’t tell based on this response:

“It’s gonna get done, in my opinion,” Metcalf said in January. “I’m just gonna let the chips fall where they may and let God and the Seahawks and my agent take care of the rest. I know everything is going to work out just fine.”

A lot has happened since.

The Seahawks traded quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. The wide receiver market skyrocketed to the point that Seahawks general manager John Schneider expressed sticker shock at some of the megadeals signed early in free agency. And most recently, Metcalf skipped mandatory minicamp — without permission from the team — in what seemed like a clear indication that he and his representation were unhappy with where his contract negotiations stand.

The Seahawks have expressed optimism both publicly and behind the scenes since then that a deal will get done, but it hardly seems like a slam dunk.

Let’s take a look at some of the key questions.

What should we make of Metcalf skipping minicamp?

• Where things stand with Seahawks, DK Metcalf
• Evaluating Russell Wilson, Broncos
• Aidan Hutchinson already impressing Lions
• Dennis Allen ‘keeping the DNA the same’
• Dick Vermeil’s unconventional HOF career

It was mildly surprising for a couple of reasons.

Metcalf had participated in some of the voluntary portion of the team’s offseason program. He showed up in the early stages even though his recovery from foot surgery meant he couldn’t participate in workouts.

The recent trend with Seahawks players (and others around the NFL) who are seeking new contracts has been to attend the mandatory portions of offseason work (i.e. minicamp and training camp) but not take part in practices. For the player, the “hold-in” is a best-of-all-worlds approach because it allows him to avoid fines as well as the risk of injury, all while making a statement about his desire to get paid. Bobby Wagner did it in 2019. Jamal Adams and Duane Brown did it last summer.

Metcalf’s foot surgery gave him an easy out to do the same thing during minicamp, yet he stayed away entirely. That subjected him to more than $93,000 in fines for missing all three days. He’d be subject to $40,000 in fines for every day of training camp he misses. He also risks losing an accrued season toward free agency by not reporting on time.

Coach Pete Carroll said he’s no less optimistic about getting a deal done with Metcalf than before his minicamp no-show, citing the team’s strong track record of extending players it wants to keep long-term. The Seahawks typically finalize big-money extensions after the start of training camp.

“These are crucial weeks to get something done, and we’ll see what happens and hope that we can work something out,” Carroll said earlier this month. “[We’ve] really intended to get that done.”

What Metcalf’s market?

The short answer is that it’s probably in A.J. Brown territory but below Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill territory.

Adams and Hill signed deals early in free agency averaging $28 million and $30 million per year, respectively, prompting Schneider to express “a sense of shock” at where the market has gone. Brown then got a four-year, $100 million extension that includes more than $57 million in guarantees after the Philadelphia Eagles acquired him from the Tennessee Titans during the draft.

Metcalf and Brown, college teammates at Ole Miss, entered the NFL together as second-round picks in 2019. They’re both 24. So Brown’s deal might be a more apples-to-apples comp for Metcalf than those of Adams and Hill, who are both in their late 20s and have accomplished more over a longer period.

Over his three seasons, Metcalf has more catches (216), targets (358), yards (3,170) and touchdowns (29) than Brown. Hill and Adams have Metcalf beat in all four categories over that same span.

ESPN polled three NFL agents who aren’t involved in the Metcalf negotiations but are well-versed in the receiver market. One predicts the Seahawks will extend Metcalf on an annual average similar to Brown’s $25 million. Another thinks they won’t go any higher than $25 million per season and around $60 million guaranteed — assuming a four-year extension, Seattle’s preferred length. The third agent doesn’t think the Seahawks will go that high and predicts they team will trade Metcalf.

All three agents noted the massive base salaries in the final year(s) of the aforementioned deals, which artificially inflate their overall averages and make it tougher to pinpoint Metcalf’s range.

What kind of cap shape are the Seahawks in?

They’re fine.

OverTheCap.com lists them with around $16 million in available 2022 cap space, taking into account their recent extension for defensive tackle Bryan Mone. Metcalf is set to make just under $4 million in the final year of his rookie deal. An extension could be structured so that his 2022 cap number would be increased by only a couple million dollars or so, which would leave enough for other expenses like the practice squad and in-season injury replacements.

The Seahawks will start to reap the cap savings from the Wilson trade next year, with OTC ranking them third in 2023 cap space at around $58 million. The agent who predicts a Metcalf trade thinks his representation will drive a hard bargain knowing Seattle has the financial freedom that comes with Wilson’s huge contract no longer being on the books.

Don’t Metcalf and Brown have the same agent?

Yep. Tory Dandy also represents three other big-name receivers: Mike Williams, Chris Godwin (both just got deals averaging $20 million per season) and Deebo Samuel (who’s seeking an extension).

Schneider said at the owners meetings that Dandy’s representing those other receivers shouldn’t complicate negotiations with Metcalf, noting that the Seahawks have an “awesome” relationship with Dandy.

But two of the agents polled by ESPN think Dandy will be more motivated to top Brown’s deal than he would be if another agent negotiated it.

Could the Seahawks really trade Metcalf?

The fact that they didn’t do so before the draft suggests some optimism that a deal will get done, because waiting until after the draft would mean having to wait a year to reap the benefits of a trade.

ESPN simulated the Metcalf trade possibility in April, with NFL Nation reporters making offers on behalf of the teams they cover. None of the seven offers matched the Seahawks’ presumed asking price of two first-round picks or something of similar value.

The Seahawks received calls from teams interested in trading for Metcalf before the draft and, according to a source, told those teams they weren’t looking to trade Metcalf. But they’d have to at least start listening to offers if, whenever negotiations resume, they don’t feel like a deal is possible.

RENTON, Wash. — Drew Lock learned an important lesson last offseason while battling Teddy Bridgewater to be the Denver Broncos‘ starting quarterback. He fixated on who won each practice, and as he realized after losing the competition, that mindset did him no good.

“I tried to compare the whole time: ‘Did Teddy beat me that day, or did I win that day?'” Lock said during this past week’s Seattle Seahawks minicamp. “And overall, if you start thinking like that, it’s just not good for your mental. It’s not good for your process of becoming a better quarterback. It’s not about who won that day. It’s about, ‘Did I get better today to make the guys around me better?'”

Lock has been focusing on himself, not Geno Smith, as the two compete to replace Russell Wilson in Seattle’s first quarterback competition in a decade. And while Lock might not be keeping score, Smith was still in the pole position as the Seahawks wrapped up their offseason program earlier this week.

That was evident as Smith consistently took reps with the first team and as coach Pete Carroll assessed the competition at the end of minicamp.

“They’ve been really impressive,” Carroll said of Smith and Lock. “And it’s not been any one sequence here or one day here. They have just been solid throughout. We’ve shared a ton of reps. Geno has gone with the first group throughout, but they’ve had very close to equal reps in situational opportunities throughout. … They’ve done a terrific job so far. They look in control.

• Free agency: Grades » | More »
• Draft: Grades » | Top picks » | More »
• Coaching changes: Tracking moves »
• 2022 schedule » | Power rankings »
• Barnwell ranks all 32 teams’ offseason »

“Geno’s still ahead — you can tell that — but it’s not going to be too much for Drew to be caught up. By the time we get through camp, he’ll be there. He’s really bright. It makes sense to him. He’s really sharp in the huddle and at the line of scrimmage and all of that, so it’s just time that he needs …”

Carroll concluded by saying the Seahawks are in “great shape” at quarterback, wording he later repeated. That felt like Carroll’s way of trying to quell persistent speculation that Seattle could add another big-name quarterback like Jimmy Garoppolo or Baker Mayfield.

Carroll has already said he doesn’t “at all” envision the Seahawks trading for a veteran QB, so it would likely take the San Francisco 49ers or Cleveland Browns releasing their former starters for either to seriously be in play for Seattle. San Francisco almost certainly wouldn’t deal Garoppolo to a division rival, anyway.

Garoppolo and Mayfield have better résumés than Lock or Smith. But both are coming off shoulder surgeries and, this late in the offseason, would be behind in learning a new offense and building chemistry with a new group of pass-catchers.

As for his own acclimation to offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s playbook, Lock said he was “a little overwhelmed” at first but much more comfortable now. It’s helped that Waldron’s system is similar to what Denver ran during Lock’s rookie season in 2019, when he played the best football of his career while leading the Broncos to four wins in their final five games. Lock has been plagued by turnovers since, with 21 in 19 games.

“I feel really, really, really good about this offense,” he said. “I feel like I could go out and play a game tomorrow and succeed.”

The feeling among some inside the Virginia Mason Athletic Center is Lock will overtake Smith to win the starting job. But some believe he may have to win convincingly or Seattle’s coaches will favor the greater familiarity with Smith — who backed up Wilson the past three seasons — over the bigger upside with Lock and award anything close to a tie to the incumbent. Carroll has raved about the way Smith played in his third and final fill-in start last season, when he led Seattle to a blowout win after two narrow losses.

Smith mentioned that familiarity when asked how Seattle’s offense suits him.

“I think the up-tempo style, similar to what I played in college,” he said. “Also, just my ability and Shane’s trust in me to get in and out of plays, to see coverages, understanding our offense and moving our guys around to be able to create mismatches. I think Shane believes in my ability and my knowledge as a quarterback and I think that is something that suits us well.”

There may be no resolution to Smith’s pending legal case before the season begins. He was arrested in January on suspicion of DUI, but the King County Prosecutor’s Office is still awaiting blood-test results, which take about 10 months to process. Smith said recently he doesn’t foresee “any problem” resulting from the arrest.

Jacob Eason is the only other quarterback on the Seahawks’ 90-man roster after they waived undrafted rookie Levi Lewis, though Eason is a developmental prospect who isn’t expected to factor into the Smith-Lock competition.

“We’re in good shape at the position and we just have to see what happens,” Carroll said. “The [preseason] games are going to be important, and everything will be important.”

Carroll declined to say whether he plans to alternate Lock and Smith with the first-team offense once training camp begins in late July.

“It’s going to be a real battle,” he said. “It’s going to be really an exciting time for our team, for those guys in particular, and for our people watching. I’m pumped about it. I really am.”

RENTON, Wash. — Coby Bryant brings a lot more than a recognizable name to the Seattle Seahawks‘ secondary.

The fourth-round cornerback from Cincinnati also brings a decorated college resume and, if you ask him, the best ball skills of any defender in this year’s draft. In his fourth season as a starter, Bryant won the 2021 Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s top defensive back. He finished his college career with 10 interceptions and 45 passes defensed in a whopping 53 games.

The guy has played — and learned — a ton of football.

“He just seems like he’s comfortable,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said after the first practice of rookie minicamp. “He understands it. He gets it.”

The learning was aided by regular study sessions Bryant and his defensive teammates held during the offseason. In between workouts and classes, they’d get together for what they called Football 500, where they’d dig into the Bearcats’ defensive scheme and figure out how offenses could attack them.

Cincinnati’s defense finished tied for the fourth-fewest points allowed in 2021 and the Bearcats lost in the CFP semifinals. Bryant, a team captain who sometimes led those meetings, thinks they were a factor.

• Dallas’ Tyler Smith fought Blount’s disease
• Patriots counting on 2021 pick McGrone
• Linderbaum will help Lamar Jackson
• Can Jackson help Bosa on 49ers D-line
• Can Cards adapt offense without Hopkins?

“Just taking the football IQ to the next level,” he said.

Being a student of the game will serve Bryant well as he tries to learn a new defense in time to earn a starting job as a rookie. Fourth-round picks don’t often start right away, if ever, but it’s realistic for Bryant. The Seahawks’ top two cornerback spots are open. And whereas former defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. developed a reputation inside team headquarters for a reluctance to play inexperienced players, that roadblock shouldn’t exist for Bryant and other young defenders under Clint Hurtt.

Here’s a look at how Bryant and the rest of Seattle’s draft class might fit into the team’s 2022 plans.

LT Charles Cross, first round (No. 9 overall)

The Seahawks didn’t make Cross their highest draft pick since 2010 to have him spend time on the bench. He’s a virtual lock to take over Duane Brown‘s starting spot from Week 1. But Cross still faces a learning curve coming from Mike Leach’s Air-Raid offense, which ran the ball infrequently and didn’t ask its offensive linemen to play from a three-point stance. The Seahawks had Cross as their second-rated left tackle in this year’s draft, ahead of Evan Neal, so they clearly think that transition will be manageable.

OLB Boye Mafe, second round (No. 40)

One NFL source says the Seahawks tried to trade up into the late first round for another outside linebacker, Arnold Ebiketie. The Falcons then moved up in the second round to snag Ebiketie two spots before Seattle was set to pick. But the uber-explosive Mafe looks like much more than a consolation prize. He generated first-round buzz after a seven-sack 2021 season and a strong showing at the Senior Bowl. He’s got some rawness to work through, according to scouts, but has experience with much of what the Seahawks will ask him to do in their new-look defense. Expect Mafe to factor heavily into Seattle’s edge-rushing rotation along with Darrell Taylor and Uchenna Nwosu.

Walker was Seattle’s most — and perhaps only — debatable pick this year. But while some felt this was too high for a team that’s likely a few years away from contention to take a running back, the Seahawks plan to lean heavily on the run and will probably need Walker to do a lot of the running as a rookie. There’s a big question as to whether Chris Carson will be cleared following neck surgery, and Rashaad Penny has a long injury history of his own.

Lucas faces a similar transition as Cross, having strictly played from a two-point stance in two pass-heavy college offenses. “Shoot, you would never have even known,” Carroll said after the first rookie practice. “I already had a chance to look at half of the film of some of the team work that we did. They’ve been working hard at it. They look very comfortable, and they’ll get better.” Lucas figures to start as a rookie, even if not right away. He’s got to beat out 2021 UDFA Jake Curhan, who played well while stepping in for Brandon Shell.

CB Coby Bryant, fourth round (No. 109)

Cornerback might be the Seahawks’ most wide-open position group outside of quarterback. They have Tre Brown coming off a promising but injury-shortened rookie season, brought back Sidney Jones IV on a modest deal and added Artie Burns for even less money. None of them are locked into starting roles.

CB Tariq Woolen, fifth round (No. 153)

Woolen didn’t do much during rookie camp while resting a hamstring injury. But the sight of his 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame brought to mind another towering cornerback from Seattle’s recent past. Woolen bears a strong resemblance to Tre Flowers, though he’s a little bigger and faster (4.26 seconds in the 40-yard dash) with a 42-inch vertical. Woolen converted from receiver in 2019, so he’s relatively new to the position. But Flowers played safety his entire college career and won a starting job at corner as a rookie despite Norton’s predilection for veterans. So you can’t rule out Woolen playing right away.

OLB Tyreke Smith, fifth round (No. 158)

Smith might be competing for a roster spot with Alton Robinson, who was not as productive last season as he was as a rookie in 2020.

WRs Bo Melton and Dareke Young, seventh round (Nos. 229 and 233)

Seventh-round picks face an uphill battle just to make the team, let alone make an impact. Melton, Young and others will vie for what might only be one or two spots behind DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Freddie Swain and Dee Eskridge. As always, special teams will go a long way in determining the back end of the receiver corps. Melton’s experience there will give him a shot.

RENTON, Wash. — For a team that often bucks convention in the NFL draft, the Seattle Seahawks were relatively straightforward this year. They attacked their most obvious needs early and often (aside from quarterback, where the options underwhelmed them). They made only one trade (but tried to make more), their fewest since 2015. They didn’t take any of their nine picks earlier than where analysts generally projected them to go.

But it wouldn’t have been a Seahawks draft without at least one debatable decision. And when they chose Michigan State running back Ken Walker III in the second round, the debate raged. Some fans liked it. Others reacted with a level of objection usually reserved for former offensive line coach Tom Cable and ill-fated Pete Carroll challenges.

Critics of the pick saw a running back at No. 41 overall as a misuse of high-end resources for a rebuilding team, but the Seahawks had no qualms about addressing a position of need that early with a player they rated highly. And with Chris Carson‘s future looking iffy following neck surgery — not to mention Rashaad Penny‘s long injury history — it was a big need.

“We picked him because, on the board, he was up there for us at a spot that we just couldn’t pass him up,” Carroll said of Walker, who was the second running back taken behind Iowa State’s Breece Hall by the New York Jets at No. 36. “But we don’t have updates yet on Chris and we won’t know for some time. … So there’s a little bit of uncertainty that we’re waiting on. With the commitment that we have to the run game, we want that group of guys really [ready] to get this thing hit off from the get-go.”

• Why Ravens think Hamilton’s a steal
• What to do with Deebo, Jimmy G?
• QB Ryan refreshing for Colts
• How Pats’ Bourne won Mother’s Day
• Dean, Jordan can transform Eagles’ D

ESPN’s Todd McShay rated Walker as his top running back in the draft. Walker transferred out of a crowded Wake Forest backfield in January 2021, exploded for more than 1,600 rushing yards in 12 games during his lone season with the Spartans and finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting. Five of his 19 touchdowns last year came in an October win over Michigan, whose defense had three of the top 45 picks. And for a powerful downhill runner, the 5-foot-9 and 211-pound Walker has plenty of speed, running a 4.38 40-yard dash at the scouting combine.

“He’s a rocket,” Carroll said Friday after the first practice of Seattle’s rookie minicamp. “He caught the ball really well today too, which we are really excited about.”

Walker caught only 19 passes during three college seasons and, in Carroll’s words, has a ways to go in pass protection. But learning the playbook may not be as much of a challenge as it is for other rookies given his experience in the Spartans’ pro-style offense.

“Our offense and the terminology, and the concepts that we have run, he’s run before, and he was well prepared at Michigan State coming to us,” Carroll said. “He understood even the terminology to some extent too, so it’s really going to facilitate him being comfortable with the transition. So we’ll expect no issues there at all. He’ll be able to go. He was very bursty, very quick.”

Objection to the Walker pick might be scar tissue from the two other times the Seahawks’ current regime drafted a running back within the first two rounds. Christine Michael (62nd overall in 2013) hardly played for Seattle in large part due to maturity issues. Penny (27th overall in 2018) was the NFL’s most productive runner over the final five weeks of 2021, prompting Seattle to bring him back on a one-year deal, but his career has otherwise been a disappointment, with 30 of a possible 69 career games (including playoffs) missed due to injury.

Which was another reason the Seahawks felt they had to reinforce their backfield. They’ve been one of the NFL’s most run-heavy offenses of the past decade — ranking fourth in designed run percentage since 2012 — and will likely lean on their ground game without quarterback Russell Wilson in 2022. They need healthy backs to do it.

As of now, their backfield has Carson, Penny and Walker at the top. DeeJay Dallas and Travis Homer are next, but the Seahawks have preferred them in change-of-pace roles. Josh Johnson and Darwin Thompson round out the depth chart. Carson is scheduled to make a non-guaranteed $4.5 million base salary this season in the final year of his contract. Penny and Homer are also set to be free agents next offseason.

“It’s a volatile spot,” Carroll said during the draft. “Guys get banged up, and with the way we ask our guys to run, we need rotations. We like playing multiple guys and we don’t have any problem with that at all. I’ve said it to you a million times, I’m fine about going with who’s hot, but also, we have to find a way to keep our guys healthy. So that’s why the rotation is so important, so we don’t overwork them, particularly early in the year, so we can keep the good momentum building.”

General manager John Schneider interjected with a reminder of what happened late in the 2019 season. The Seahawks were poised to claim the NFC’s No. 1 seed until their backfield was suddenly decimated by injuries to Penny, Carson and C.J. Prosise. They brought Marshawn Lynch out of retirement, lost in Week 17 to enter the playoffs as a wild-card team and got bounced in the divisional round.

“We felt like that was the strongest part of our team,” Schneider said, “and we went from [three running backs] to zero.”

Carson, the Seahawks’ leading rusher from 2018-2020, had surgery late last year on the neck injury that ended his 2021 season after four games. Carroll initially expressed optimism Carson would return this season. That has given way to uncertainty — perhaps even doubt — inside Seahawks headquarters as to whether he’ll be part of Seattle’s backfield in 2022.

Hence the Walker pick.

“We’re really excited about him,” Carroll told the NFL Network. “What an explosive player to add, to go along with what Rashaad Penny did. We’re really excited.”