The Seattle Seahawks obviously saw a lot they liked about running back Rashaad Penny which prompted them to spend a first-round pick on the San Diego State product. Penny was an incredibly productive runner in college and could be the answer to the Seahawks recent running-game woes.

But apart from his ability with the ball, Penny has also quickly picked up some important details about his role without it, as head coach Pete Carroll explained to John Boyle of the team’s official website.

“He has picked up a ton of stuff,” Carroll said. “[Running backs coach Chad Morton] was just talking about the pass protection stuff that he looks so comfortable with after the time he has been here. That was something that was new for him and a demanding part of the game. We don’t have any hesitation that he’s going to be fine in that area.”

Carroll said previously this offseason that he viewed Penny as a “three-down back” but needed to work on his pass protection. Well, it seems as if Penny has gotten the hang of that skill fairly quickly, which should only improve his chances of staying on the field longer.

The Seahawks have had a lot of problems in pass protection over the last few years as their offensive line has been unable to consistently protect quarterback Russell Wilson. But if Penny can provide a bit more assistance in that area, he could prove to add more value on top of his promising rushing ability.