Although the Seattle Seahawks may have entered training camp with a duel in the backfield between Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny, it appears the former's role has become more prevalent heading into the 2019 NFL season.
Carson has earned high praise from head coach Pete Carroll for his versatile skill set as a receiver this offseason. Carroll indicated during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio that he may see an increased role in the passing game:
“He's got great catching range, really comfortable at catching the ball in all different kinds of positions”
Carson enjoyed a breakout year after finishing the 2018 campaign with 1,151 and nine touchdowns. Despite his stellar year, he was hardly utilized in the passing game with only 20 receptions for 163 yards. Carroll's comments indicate that could be changing heading into the regular season.
While Carson may be poised to see an increased target share, that does not mean that the Seahawks plan on just relegating him to a receiving role. The former seventh-round pick has maintained his hold on the starting job thus far and Caroll's praise means he could see even more touches in an effort to shore up some firepower on offense around quarterback Russell Wilson.
The prospect of an every-down role for Carson clearly spells bad news for Penny. The former first-round pick has been optimistic about a potential resurgence in 2019 after a disastrous rookie year. He will need to start making some waves of his own over the next few weeks if he hopes to earn his fair share of touches this season.
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