Free-agent running back Chris Carson, 26, agrees to return to Seattle Seahawks; RB was drafted by the team in 2017; Entering his fifth year, Carson has racked up over 4,000 scrimmage yards and 28 touchdowns for Seahawks
Saturday 20 March 2021 08:08, UK
Free agent running back Chris Carson has agreed a two-year deal to stay with the Seattle Seahawks that could be worth up to $14.6m, according to multiple media reports.
The Seahawks added a third void year to the deal to help with managing the salary cap, ESPN and NFL.com reported.
After being selected with the 249th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, just four picks from being 'Mr Irrelevant', Carson has emerged as a key contributor in the Seahawks' backfield since early in the 2018 season.
In his 2017 rookie campaign, competing with Thomas Rawls and Eddie Lacy, Carson earned a significant role immediately, starting three games and putting up 267 yards from scrimmage.
However, a broken ankle suffered in Week Four sent him to injured reserve for the rest of the year.
From the beginning of the 2018 season until the end of 2020, Carson has been Seattle's starter, barring injury. He surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in 2018 and 2019, and last season he finished with nine touchdowns (five rushing, four receiving) in 12 games.
In fact, he had nine TDs in each of the last three seasons for 27 total in that span.
Carson was expected to sign elsewhere while 2018 first-round pick Rashaad Penny took over starting duties, but the veteran has held off 25-year-old Penny through his first three seasons, and Penny has missed plenty of time through injury so far in his career. He was involved in just three games in 2020.
Head coach Pete Carroll said in January of his offense heading into 2021: "We have to run the ball better. Not even run the ball better, run it more."
Carson, 26, will be a big part of that as the team look to bounce back to the top-five rushing attack they had in 2018 and 2019 before falling to 12th last year.
