Chris Carson

[tlance]

Let's be real about Carson for a moment..7th rounder who only was the starter for awhile last year because Rawls was hurt, and Lacy was a walrus. Yes technically he "won" the job, but the competition basically bowed out of the race halfway through.
4 games, not a single rushing TD, only one game with truly respectable rushing numbers, coming against the, at the time, utterly hopeless Niners. The only above average rushing D he faced was Tennessee and they embarrassed him. (Ironically his only score, a receiving TD, came that game, but dreadful 3.1 ypc)

He's an average talent, and he runs like it. If he didn't, if he truly "flashed", Seattle wouldn't have spent a #1 on Penny, simple as that. Now Penny may very well be a bust, that possibility is very real. But, Carson is not some great diamond in the rough that will keep them from giving Penny every chance to take the job.
Grab Carson off waivers, draft him very late, sure why not, just be prepared to toss him aside by week 3-4 when he's just a cuff

If you think Pete Carroll cares about any of that, you have not been paying attention.

Carroll's track record suggests he will play the best guy regardless of franchise investment. And unlike some coaches, he has more than enough juice to win a GM power struggle. And if for some reason he doesn't, other teams will line up around the block to hire him.

If Carson is the best back, Carson will win the job.

 

[TREFF]

If you think Pete Carroll cares about any of that, you have not been paying attention.

Carroll's track record suggests he will play the best guy regardless of franchise investment. And unlike some coaches, he has more than enough juice to win a GM power struggle. And if for some reason he doesn't, other teams will line up around the block to hire him.

If Carson is the best back, Carson will win the job.

That is my entire point..he still is going to have to win the job. Its not his to lose, he still will have to beat the guy drafted to replace him. And that guy will be given the opportunity to try and win the job. They will see what he can do in season. Pete Carroll or not, no one just sits a first round RB because the guy on the field is doing OK.

 

[TREFF]

I mean, let's look at it this way..
Let's assume they hold Penny out for weeks 1 & 2. Just how great does Carson have to be, to keep Penny from getting 3-4 series of his own in week 3? 100 a game? 150? Is there a number? Or, no matter what he does, will Penny still get on the field to show what he can do?

And once he does start getting on the field, like I said, it'll be Carson v Penny, best man wins. So there's a very real possibility, maybe even probability, that by week 4 or 5, no matter what he does between now and then, Carson is little more than a cuff. Its a gamble to hope otherwise. There's no gamble that Penny will get a chance

 

[SmokingMonkey]

There's no gamble that Penny will get a chance

agree completely with your closing there

sitting Penny due to a broken finger as well - now if he had a knee or ankle issue, I'd be a little concerned, but he doesn't.

I'm not even on the Penny train, just can't see any scenario where he doesn't get at least a real long look to be the guy for Seattle

 

[averagejoe]

Unless the broken finger is on the hand he carries the ball with, which means he has trouble holding on to it.

Coaches hate fumbles.
I'm sure opposing defenses will let that finger heal too.

 

[SmokingMonkey]

Unless the broken finger is on the hand he carries the ball with, which means he has trouble holding on to it.

Coaches hate fumbles.
I'm sure opposing defenses will let that finger heal too.

they have a guy that plays defense with 1 hand, I think they'll manage

 

[TREFF]

Unless the broken finger is on the hand he carries the ball with, which means he has trouble holding on to it.

Coaches hate fumbles.
I'm sure opposing defenses will let that finger heal too.

That's surely a concern no doubt. And since ball carriers need to use both at varying times, it may not even matter which hand it is.

But again, its something that he get an opportunity to prove isn't an issue in meaningful game action.