Training Camp Primer: How Will Seahawks Split Up Reps in Crowded Backfield?

Heading into the 2019 season, the Seahawks had lofty expectations for their talented running back group headlined by the one-two punch of Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny. And until injuries struck late in the season, that duo proved to be just as dynamic as envisioned.

Proving his breakout 2018 campaign wasn't a fluke, Carson once again finished in the top five in the NFL for rushing yardage, establishing a new career-best with 1,230 rushing yards and scoring nine combined touchdowns. As for Penny, he rebounded from a slow start with a 129-yard performance against the Eagles and over 100 all-purpose yards against the Vikings the following week.

Unfortunately, just as Penny seemed to be finding his groove, the former first-round pick tore his ACL in the first quarter of a loss to the Rams in Week 14. Two weeks later, Carson exited in the first half of a defeat to the Cardinals with a broken hip and his backup C.J. Prosise broke his arm, leaving the Seahawks backfield depleted and leading to the unexpected return of Marshawn Lynch.

After experiencing a dreadful rash of injuries at the running back position in the closing weeks of the regular season, Seattle went into this offseason aiming to avoid such a disaster from happening again.

First, general manager John Schneider used a fourth-round pick on DeeJay Dallas, a 215-pound back out of Miami. Reunited with his former college teammate Travis Homer, he's expected to compete for third down duties and could factor in as a return specialist on special teams.

Then in May, after an attempt to sign former Falcons starter Devonta Freeman went awry, Schneider signed veteran Carlos Hyde to a one-year contract. With Penny expected to miss at least training camp, if not more, the former Ohio State standout will give the Seahawks a high-quality insurance option.

By being proactive in the draft and free agency, Seattle will open camp with no shortage of talented backs to choose from. Now comes the hard part - figuring out how to split up reps with so many mouths to feed.

Coming off his second straight 1,000-plus yard season, Carson looks to be fully recovered from the hip injury that ended his 2019 season and will remain Seattle's bell cow back. Even Hyde acknowledged this speaking with reporters in May, knowing he will be vying for reps in a secondary role with Penny sidelined.

"I know the second spot is open, maybe the first spot," Hyde stated. "I'm going to compete for the first spot, make sure I solidify myself and go from there."

After narrowly missing the 1,000-yard mark numerous times earlier in his career with the 49ers, Hyde finally reached the milestone with the Texans in 2019. But despite a breakout year, after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, interest in the 29-year old back was lukewarm at best on the market.

While starting opportunities might have been available elsewhere, Hyde admitted he has wanted to play in Seattle for quite some time, believing the scheme fit suited his strengths well. He was drawn to how much the team runs the ball, specifically doing so out of shotgun formations.

"Going against the guys for four years in my time being in San Fran, I just see how they always ran the ball, back to when Marshawn [Lynch] was there. The ways they ran the ball, I just felt like it was a strength in my game."

Some may wonder where Hyde fits in, but given Carson's injury history - in addition to last year's cracked hip, he missed most of his rookie season with a broken ankle and missed two games in 2018 due to various ailments - as well as Penny's ongoing rehab from knee surgery, coach Pete Carroll couldn't be happier about adding an experienced, proven back of his caliber to the fold.

"I've always loved the way he played," Carroll told reporters last month. "You guys know, you've seen him, he fits the kind of style that we love. He plays at 230. He runs this hard as he can possibly run, he's got creativity to him, he's got style. He can catch the football. He had a fantastic season last year, but he's had a lot of really good years leading up to that."

As Carroll noted, Hyde's arrival should prevent the team from rushing Penny back into action too quickly and ensure he's 100 percent healthy before "cutting him loose." Once that happens, Seattle would have a trifecta of ball carriers that stack up favorably against any stable of backs in the NFL.

To keep Carson fresh, the Seahawks may choose to enact a more by-committee approach in the backfield. While he should still log more than 50 percent of the carries, a 60/40 split with Hyde wouldn't be surprising, particularly during the first half of the season. Homer and/or Dallas could also see a handful of snaps a game as a third down back due to their receiving and pass protection skills.

With so many capable runners - Penny's eventual return will certainly complicate matters - it's a good problem for the Seahawks to sort out in camp. And as they were reminded in a shocking fashion last year, there's no such thing as having too much depth at a position with high injury rates.

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