The Seattle Seahawks hoped that running back Rashaad Penny would be the second coming of Marshawn Lynch.
That’s why they selected him in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
It’s hard to fault the Seahawks for that decision because he finished his final season at San Diego State with 2,248 yards and 23 touchdowns.
He would have dominated if he translated those numbers to the pro game.
Unfortunately, he’s had his share of roadblocks.
Penny had a decent rookie season with 419 rushing yards and two touchdowns, including one 100-yard rushing game.
But the high hopes for a better sophomore year were shattered when he suffered an ACL tear in Week 14.
He played only ten games in 2019, finishing with 370 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
The 2020 season was worse because Penny appeared in only three games, ending with 34 yards on 11 rushing attempts.
That production led the Seahawks to decline his fifth-year option.
However, he finally proved in 2021 that he was worth keeping.
Penny went on a rampage with four 100-yard games after being activated on October 25, 2021.
After games with 137, 135, and 170 yards, he saved the best for last in Week 18 against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Seahawks closed out the season with a victory, and Penny had 190 rushing yards.
More importantly, he led the league in rushing yards per attempt for running backs with at least 100 carries.
Most rush yards per attempt last season among RB
(min. 100 carries)Rashaad Penny 6.29
Tony Pollard 5.53
Nick Chubb 5.52
Miles Sanders 5.50
Jonathan Taylor 5.45@pennyhendrixx my goodness pic.twitter.com/m1FLEMmD0N— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) April 15, 2022
Soaring From The Seahawks Backfield
Penny played only ten games last season but finished with a career-high 749 yards, with six touchdowns.
He’s a menace when he’s healthy, and the Seahawks would like to keep things that way.
It was a while before he took off, but Penny is looking to maintain the momentum.
For now, the Seahawks brought him back on a one-year, $5.7 million deal.
But if he surpasses his 2021 totals, a multi-year contract extension will be on the horizon.
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