Big Seahawks Questions: Who will be leading rusher?

Issues are going to be fairly completely different on offense for the Seattle Seahawks this 12 months.

Seahawks Free Company: OLs, DLs who may assist in ’22

That’s not breaking information, in fact. When a group strikes on from its franchise quarterback of the previous decade, because the Seahawks did this offseason by dealing Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, you possibly can wager modifications are coming. And it leaves loads of inquiries to be answered.

On Tuesday’s version of The Mike Salk Present on Seattle Sports activities Station, Salk fired a trio of these questions in the best way of Michael Bumpus, a former Seahawks huge receiver who’s now a broadcast analyst for the group in addition to a daily Seattle Sports activities contributor.

We lined a kind of questions already within the publish at this hyperlink, however let’s take a better have a look at the opposite two right here.

Who will probably be Seahawks’ dashing chief?

Now that is fairly intriguing.

The Seahawks have re-signed Rashaad Penny, their chief within the floor sport final season, and the door shouldn’t be closed on Chris Carson although there are questions in regards to the availability of the two-time 1,000-yard rusher resulting from a neck harm that ended his 2021 season after simply 4 video games.

The actually fascinating half is that Seattle made Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker III the second operating again taken within the 2022 NFL Draft, choosing him forty first general within the second spherical. It’s believed that Walker, who received the 2021 Doak Walker Award as the very best operating again in faculty soccer, has a excessive ceiling after his arrival as a switch from Wake Forest helped the Spartans flip round from a 2-5 group in 2020 to 11-2 final 12 months.

Is Walker going to make that very same type of affect in his first 12 months with the Seahawks?

“I believe Ken Walker goes to play some ball,” Bumpus mentioned. “I believe he’s going to contribute, however – I don’t know, however I really feel and I hope – that Rashad Penny is simply going to experience the wave from final 12 months. You’ve acquired some guys on this offensive line (rookies Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas) that can assist you out. I do know they arrive from a variety offense, however they’ll run block. I believe (Penny’s) simply discovered his groove, and I believe the coaches perceive learn how to get him going.”

Penny, who was a first-round choose by the Seahawks in 2018, has been slowed by accidents all through his profession, however he lastly began to make good on his potential after getting wholesome down the stretch final season. He rushed for 749 yards in 10 video games, tied Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen for the NFL lead in yards per try at 6.3, and ran for 135 yards or extra in 4 of his final 5 video games.

So what was Bumpus alluding to that Seahawks coaches now know is one of the simplest ways to make use of Penny?

“We’re understanding that Rashaad Penny wants carries. He’s not going to be that man to get 5 – 6 carries after which he’s going to interrupt one for 60. He’s acquired to get going, he’s acquired to get warmed up.”

The query will stay whether or not Penny can keep wholesome for a full season, however even when he has to overlook a couple of video games, Bumpus believes in his means to maintain placing up robust numbers.

“I’m going to exit and say he’s gonna miss two or three video games,” Bumpus mentioned. “I believe most professionals on this league are going to overlook a pair video games a 12 months. … I imagine in what Rashaad Penny did final 12 months. I believe he’s gonna lead the cost. However I believe Ken Walker is gonna get some touches, as nicely.”

Query 2: Will any 2022 Hawks QB begin a sport in ’23 or ’24?

As issues stand, the Seahawks have Drew Lock, Geno Smith and Jacob Eason on their roster at quarterback. There’s hypothesis Seattle could possibly be angling to get a rookie quarterback for 2023, nonetheless, as the following NFL Draft class is believed to be robust on the place.

“Properly, that’s a tricky one, proper?” responded Bumpus. “We simply talked about Drew Lock.”

Lock, who came visiting from the Broncos within the Wilson commerce, has began 21 video games since being taken within the second spherical of the 2019 draft, and comparisons are beginning to be made between him and Jared Goff, who wasn’t spectacular throughout his time with the Los Angeles Rams however did assist them attain the Tremendous Bowl within the 2018 season. That comparability is notable as a result of below offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who was on the Rams’ workers at the moment, the Seahawks are using an analogous system to the one Goff ran.

“Is (Lock) going to execute an offense the best way that we noticed (Goff) try this?” Bumpus continued. “As a result of we don’t know what this protection goes to appear to be, as a result of I simply mentioned Rashaad Penny goes to be the operating again to guide the cost however we’re nonetheless ready to see if he can show that, as a result of there’s so many query marks surrounding the items round Drew Lock, I don’t suppose any of those guys are going to begin a sport subsequent 12 months. I believe that (the Seahawks) are gonna draft a quarterback or they’re gonna get one in free company, they usually’re gonna throw them into the hearth. I believe Drew Lock does sufficient to maintain this group aggressive, however in 2023, somebody’s coming in to compete they usually may win the job.”

Salk then threw in a wrench into the dialog.

“So what about once they get Baker Mayfield earlier than the season begins, he has an ideal season, takes them to the playoffs they usually signal them to a two-year deal?” he requested Bumpus considerably in jest.

Bumpus isn’t a fan of the thought of Seattle including the 27-year-old Browns QB who’s clearly being changed by DeShaun Watson in Cleveland.

“I don’t want Baker Mayfield,” Bumpus mentioned. “If Baker comes over right here, I’m not mad. Let’s see what we will do, however I simply don’t need it.”

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