Salk: The 6 biggest Seahawks stories as they enter a new era Later in the day, the Seahawks officially released Carson with an injury setback. According to Rapoport, the Seahawks releasing Carson this way would allow him to “receive several million” dollars in injury protection benefits. The veteran running back played just four games a year ago due to a neck injury that eventually required cervical fusion surgery. After missing three games last year, Carson was designated to return to practice. But the 27-year-old didn’t make the turnaround that coach Pete Carroll and the Seattle coaching staff had hoped for, and his season ended shortly thereafter. Carson’s status was a question mark from that point on, with it unclear whether he would be able to play again for Seattle or any team. The Seahawks selected Carson in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma State, and he quickly moved up the depth chart, appearing in three games and making four starts as a rookie. Carson shined in those games, rushing for 208 yards on 49 carries, but a serious ankle injury ended his season after those four games. Carson returned in 2018 and assumed the starting role despite the Seahawks selecting Rashaad Penny in the first round of that year’s draft. He rushed for 1,151 yards in 15 games, then followed up with a 1,230-yard season in 2019, but his season ended in the Seahawks’ second-to-last game due to a hip injury. He missed Seattle’s season finale and both playoff games as a result. Carson was again the Seahawks’ leading rusher in 2020, but his production and touches dipped through 12 games as he rushed for less than 700 yards. He missed four games that year with a leg injury. Overall, Carson has recorded 3,502 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns on 769 carries since being drafted. He also added 107 receptions for 804 yards and seven scores. What an effort by Chris Carson! Touchdown #Seahawks! #SEAvsSF pic.twitter.com/SnAmQyyRr8 — Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) December 16, 2018 The Seahawks have Penny, second-round rookie Ken Walker III, Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas remaining on the roster in the running back room. The Seahawks also released backup linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven with a failed physical. Burr-Kirven would go on injured reserve for Seattle if he clears waivers. The Seahawks also placed four players on the physically unable to perform list: CB Tre Brown, LB Jon Rhattigan, OL Liam Ryan and LB Tyreke Smith. Brown and Rattigan are still recovering from knee injuries suffered last season.
Seattle Sports Reaction
When Rapoport’s report came out, Seattle Sports 710 AM’s Bump and Stacy were talking with fellow Seattle Sports anchor Dave Wyman. Both Michael Bumpus and Wyman are former Seahawks players and current Hawks analysts, with Bumpus serving as the host of pregame and postgame coverage while Wyman calls the plays along with Steve Raible. Rost has also served as the station’s Seahawks Insider for several years. “It’s such a shame,” said Wyman, who noted his perspective as someone who has played only three of nine NFL seasons fully healthy. ”… It’s a real shame when you have a guy that’s that talented because, to me, Chris Carson at his best is a top five running back. It’s a real shame, but I think it’s an easy (decision) for him, right? You don’t want to mess with your neck.” Babus said the news didn’t surprise him because the neck injury was so bad, adding that the retirement makes a lot of sense for Carson considering he’s only 27 years old. “He can still do a lot of other things, maybe get into coaching if that’s what he wants to do,” Bumpus said. Babus agreed with Wyman that Carson at his best was a top player. He also noted that Carson was a perfect fit for what Carroll wanted from a Seahawks running back. “He brought the physicality that Pete Carroll wants his team to be today,” he said. Rost explained how Carroll seemed to appreciate Carson’s style of play. “I always saw Chris Carson as a Pete Carroll running back. And the way Carroll would talk about Chris Carson, you got the sense that that’s exactly the skill, the dedication, the physicality, the “want” that Pete Carroll wants to see in players, especially running backs. I’ve always had that impression. In all of my time covering Carson, and also hearing Pete Carroll talk about Carson on a regular basis, it’s always been that this is a Pete Carroll running back. And rightly so, Chris Carson became the first running back since Marshawn Lynch to lead the Seahawks to 1,000 yards from a quarterback.” The Associated Press contributed to this report. Any chance the Seahawks add Jimmy Garoppolo? Follow @TheBGustafson
