Seahawks at Cowboys: RB Rashaad Penny Out With COVID; Next Man Up?

The former first-round pick will miss yet another preseason game.

The Seattle Seahawks are looking to take their run game to new heights in 2022. In the preseason finale against the Dallas Cowboys, however, that likely won’t be an option.

The Seahawks announced that projected starting running back Rashaad Penny will not play Friday night after testing positive for COVID-19. Penny has yet to suit up for Seattle this preseason.

Penny, who agreed to a one-year, $5.75 million prove-it deal this offseason, is not off to the start fans were expecting. A groin injury forced the former first-round pick to miss the first two games of the preseason and over a week of practice.

The Seahawks were looking to see if Penny could finally live up to his No. 27 overall draft selection in 2022 after showing potential late last fall. In the final five games, Penny went on a tear against NFL defenses, averaging nearly 7.1 yards per run. Four of the five games ended with Penny surpassing 100 rushing yards. He also scored all six of his touchdowns during that span.

Injuries have plagued Penny’s career since being drafted out of San Diego State in 2018. Since his rookie season, the 5-11, 220-pound runner has yet to play an entire season. Last year, Penny posted career-highs in rushing yards (749) yards per attempt (6.3) and rushing touchdowns (six).

Seattle’s emphasis on establishing the run goes well past retaining Penny. The Seahawks used a second-round pick on Michigan State and Doak Walker Award winner Kennth Walker III in April’s draft. The former Spartan star was on path to a promising start, but an injury (abdomen) has sidelined him for the remainder of the preseason.

Prior to the start of training camp, former starter and two-time 1,000-yard runner Chris Carson announced his retirement due to a lingering neck injury. 

The Seahawks are set to utilize both Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas in the final preseason game. Last week in a 27-11 loss to the Chicago Bears, Homer tallied five carries for 44 yards. Dallas recorded six carries for 34 yards to go along with four catches for 52 yards. 

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