Seahawks 90-Man Roster Rundown: DeeJay Dallas
With the calendar flipping to July and offseason programs wrapped up across the country, NFL training camps will begin around the NFL in less than a month's time. To celebrate the new incoming season, the All Seahawks staff will be breaking down the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, exploring best and worst case scenarios and what to expect from each player entering the 2022 campaign.
DeeJay Dallas, Running Back
Height/Weight: 5-foot-10, 214 pounds
2021 Stats: 33 carries, 138 yards, two touchdowns
Snagged in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft as backfield insurance for Rashaad Penny and Chris Carson, the stocky, yet shifty Dallas primarily played special teams during his rookie campaign, rushing 34 times for 108 yards and two touchdowns while tacking on 17 receptions out of the backfield. With Carson and Penny returning along with former Miami teammate Travis Homer, his sophomore season proved to be much of the same, as he produced a similar stat line on the ground and tacked on 21 receptions for good measure while serving as Seattle's main kick returner. Though his overall numbers didn't improve much on offense, he racked up 10 tackles and forced a fumble on kick and punt coverage and made major strides in pass protection picking up blitzes.
Best Case Scenario: Continuing to receive the majority of kickoffs for the Seahawks and excelling on coverage units, Dallas takes advantage of Carson's departure by taking on an expanded role as a third down back behind Penny and Ken Walker III. With increased playing time on offense, he sets career-bests in rushing yards, receptions, and touchdowns.
Worst Case Scenario: Lost in the shuffle with the return of Penny and arrival of Walker III, Dallas fails to beat out his long-time teammate Homer for third down duties and barely sees the field on offense, casting questions about his fit in the backfield rotation moving forward.
What to Expect in 2022: In brief spurts, Dallas has found success when given the opportunity to handle a larger workload in the backfield. A gritty runner who can break through arm tackles and exhibits more wiggle in open space than expected, he took over in the second half of a Week 15 loss to the Rams with 41 yards and a touchdown on only eight carries. He's also been dynamic in flashes as a pass catcher, particularly in no-huddle situations, registering at least three receptions in three games last season. However, while he's shown himself to be a viable NFL running back and his roster spot should be safe, he lacks the explosiveness and burst Penny and Walker III bring to the mix and as long as those two remain healthy, he will be hard-pressed to see much action on offense once again. Instead, he's set to resume his role as a key cog on special teams and battle against Homer for third down reps.
Previous Seahawks 90-Man Roster Profiles
Kevin Kassis | Cade Brewer | Liam Ryan | Deontez Alexander | Elijah Jones | Josh Turner | Scott Nelson | Joshua Onujiogu | Jarrod Hewitt | Darwin Thompson | Matt Gotel | Lakiem Williams | Tanner Muse | Greg Eiland | Aaron Fuller | Shamarious Gilmore | Cade Johnson | Dakoda Shepley | Deontai Williams | Bubba Bolden | Josh Johnson | Vi Jones | Dareke Young | Myles Adams | Jacob Eason | Tyler Mabry | Jon Rhattigan | Penny Hart | Josh Jones | John Reid | Mike Jackson | Tyler Ott | Cody Thompson | Joel Iyiegbuniwe | Tyreke Smith | Bo Melton | Jason Myers | Marquise Goodwin | Tariq Woolen | Kyle Fuller | Bryan Mone | Nick Bellore | Jake Curhan | Ben Burr-Kirven | Phil Haynes | Ugo Amadi | Freddie Swain
