Seahawks Host Veteran RB Rashaad Penny On Free Agent Visit

After spending last season in Philadelphia, the Seattle Seahawks kicked the tires on a former first-round pick in Rashaad Penny looking for backfield depth.

Sep 12, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny (20) rushes / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

With only three running backs currently on the roster, the Seattle Seahawks may have interest in a reunion with a former first-round pick for depth purposes.

According to Howard Balzer of CardsWire, Seattle brought veteran running back Rashaad Penny in for a free agent visit on Wednesday. The 28-year old back played his first five seasons with the organization before signing with Philadelphia and playing sparingly last season.

Drafted out of San Diego State with the 27th pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, Penny flashed elite talent when healthy for the Seahawks, but he struggled to stay on the field battling numerous injuries. He missed a grand total of 40 regular season games during his five-year tenure with the organization, including being limited to just three games in 2020 after a lengthy recovery from a torn ACL and missing the final 12 games of the 2022 season with a fractured ankle.

Ripping off explosive run after explosive run, Rashaad Penny put up video game numbers late in the 2022 season, but health issues prevented him from ever reaching his potential. / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Penny's shining moment in Seattle came at the tail end of the 2021 season when he replaced an injured Chris Carson and finally put his elite speed and playmaking ability on display. Over the final five games, he rushed for a league-high 671 yards while averaging north of seven yards per carry and scoring six touchdowns.

Further demonstrating his electric talent when healthy, Penny finished third among all backs during the 2021 and 2022 seasons with 16 runs of 20-plus yards. He managed to produce that astonishing number on just 176 carries, while Colts running back Jonathan Taylor and Browns running back Nick Chubb needed more than 500 carries to reach their totals.

Unfortunately, while Penny built off that breakout finish to start strong with 346 yards and two touchdowns in Seattle's first five games in 2022, the injury bug nipped him again when a Saints defender fell on his leg and he fractured his fibula. Though he tried to make a remarkable comeback to return for the playoffs, he didn't play another down and decided to join Philadelphia last offseason hoping a change of scenery would change his fortunes.

But with D'Andre Swift, Kenneth Gainwell, and Boston Scott in front of him on the depth chart, Penny only suited up for five games with the Eagles, rushing 11 times for 33 yards and catching a single pass for five yards. He was held out as a healthy scratch 12 times.

Given his age and lengthy injury history, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Penny hasn't generated much interest on the market. But the 230-pound back could make sense for the Seahawks to re-sign as a depth piece to compete for a roster spot this summer behind Ken Walker III and Zach Charbonnet, especially after the team lost DeeJay Dallas in free agency and Bryant Koback retired.

Looking to resurrect his career, Penny may also have interest from Seattle for a reunion as a possible competitor on kick returns, an area where he excelled at the college level, with new rules creating an advantage for returners with size, tackle breaking ability, and one-cut vision. At San Diego State, he returned a whopping seven kickoffs for touchdowns and also returned a punt for six points.

For now, no deal looks to be imminent between Penny and the Seahawks. But at a position where stockpiling depth is crucial considering the high injury rate, assuming he will willingly take a veteran minimum deal, a return to the Pacific Northwest to battle for a roster spot shouldn't be ruled out.