Seahawks Could Cut Starting Offensive Player, Says Analyst

The Seattle Seahawks could move on from one of their key players in recent years.

According to Ian Wharton of Bleacher Report, Chris Carson is a name the Seahawks could move on from. In Wharton’s article, he examines each NFL team’s roster and picks the best player who could realistically be cut during the 2022 offseason.

As Wharton notes, Carson could be on the chopping block following surgery and due to the Seahawks’ recent draft pick, running back Kenneth Walker II in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft.

“The Seahawks are set to turn the page and save $3.1 million of his $6.1 million cap hit after drafting Kenneth Walker II in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft,” says Wharton. “Walker joins Carson, newly re-signed Rashaad Penny, 2020 fourth-round pick DeeJay Dallas and Travis Homer on the depth chart. With their highly touted rookie, a healthier Penny and quality depth, the Seahawks might need Carson to return to peak form to keep him.”

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Carson’s Recent Injury Leaves Doubt on Seahawks’ Future

Carson has served as the Seahawks’ starting running back since the 2017 season. However, a serious neck injury derailed his 2021 season, limiting him to just four games.

Seattle is clearly stocked up on depth at the running back position, re-signing Rashaad Penny to a one-year deal worth $5.7 million.

As Wharton notes, Carson’s back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons during the 2018 and 2019 season may not be too long ago, but the shelf life of a running back is very short. As Carson nears his age-28 season, it may be better for both sides to simply move on — especially if he fails to beat out returnee Penny and the rookie back, Walker.

“The shelf life of most backs is stunningly short, and Carson is the latest example of how fast a bright star can fade due to injuries,” explains Wharton. “Seattle must get more reliability from the position. Carson would also benefit from a less crowded backfield.”

While it remains to be seen how Carson performs in his return from a serious neck injury, there is some good news. According to Pro Football Focus, the veteran running back posted a 70.7 offensive grade during the 2021 season prior to his injury. That isn’t too steep of a drop-off from the 78.1 grade he posted last season or the 77.9 grade he posted in 2019.

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Carroll on Carson: ‘There’s a Little Bit of Uncertainty’

Carson’s future with the Seahawks may be in doubt, but his playing future may also be questionable.

As Brady Henderson of ESPN noted on Tuesday, May 10, head coach Pete Carroll doesn’t have any updates on Carson as he recovers from neck surgery.

“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,” says Carroll. “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.”

Considering Carroll is using the term “uncertainty” when it relates to Carson’s future, it’s reasonable to believe there’s no guarantee the veteran running back takes another snap with the Seahawks.

We’ll see if Carroll is able to provide an update on the status of the veteran running back, but Carson’s future in Seattle looks a bit iffy.

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