To bolster their backfield, the Seattle Seahawks drafted rookie running back Rashaad Penny 27th overall back in April. At the time Penny was drafted, he weighed in at 220 pounds. But since April, it would appear that Penny has gained a substantial amount of weight.
Check out head coach Pete Carroll’s comment about a run Penny made during his first preseason game. He spills the beans about how much Penny now weighs.
“I loved it,” Carroll said of Penny’s run, per Brady Henderson of ESPN. “He weighed in this week at 236 — 236 pounds running like that. And he can catch the football and all that as well. He’s a really, really exciting addition to this club.”
So, Penny has apparently added 16 more pounds to his 5-foot-11 frame. This is not necessarily a good thing. The Seahawks expect Penny to be ready for the start of the season while he mends from a surgery to repair a broken finger.
Though throughout training camp, running back Chris Carson has emerged as the top rusher for the team. Carroll also gave Carson a glowing review, saying he “has just been top drawer.”
There has also been a little heat exchanged between Carson and Penny according to ESPN.
“One source inside the Virginia Mason Athletic Center put it a bit more colorfully, saying Carson’s response to the challenge from Rashaad Penny has essentially been: “You think you’re taking my f—ing job?”
Carson has primarily worked with the first team and even before Penny broke his finger, he has been considered the lead back. And for what it is worth, Carson weighs in at 222 pounds and also stands 5-foot-11.
Needless to say, things could become interesting once Penny returns to action and egos likely come in to play.
As far as Penny’s weight goes, we must remind that Carroll preferred a “big” Eddie Lacy last year. We all know how well that story turned out.
Normally, smallish weight gain isn’t a bad thing. But given his frame, one has to hope that a heavier Penny doesn’t lead to the same issues we saw with Lacy before his career bombed out.