Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny has been openly optimistic about a bounce-back year in the 2019 NFL season. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has already started to take notice.

Penny's rookie campaign got off to a rough start due to an offseason injury. According to Samantha Sunseri of the Seahawks Wire, Schottenheimer pointed out he looks much more comfortable this time around:

“He’s learning how to practice, I think I talked a little bit in the spring about just him maturing, he’s doing that,” Schottenheimer said. “There’s a way to practice and the veteran guys know that and there’s guys that model that for him.”

Schottenheimer added that Penny is coming off his best day of practice.

“But today was his best day because he pushed himself, and I told him it was fun to see him come back and breathing heavy, which means he’s finishing runs,” Schottenheimer continued. “There was a screen play late in the practice, that he hit the landmark exactly where he was supposed to be and that’s awesome.”

It is encouraging to see that all the hard work Penny put in this offseason has seemingly started to deliver results. Not only did he switch up his diet for a much leaner physique, but he also trained with Hall of Fame running back and fellow San Diego State alumnus Marshall Faulk.

Penny is poised to compete with running back Chris Carson for the starting job. Of course, he will certainly have his work cut out after Carson emerged as a bellcow back for the Seahawks during the former's disappointing rookie year.

Regardless, it is safe to assume that Seattle will be looking for any reason to allow Penny to justify his status as a former first-round pick.