The Seattle Seahawks have done really well this off-season to build depth on their roster. But in the end, there are only 53 roster spots to give out and the Seahawks will have a big decision ahead of them. C.J. Prosise and Rashaad Penny are among the Seahawks players whose stock relies on preseason game four the most.
Rashaad Penny Among Seahawks Whose Stock Relies on Game Four of Preseason
Ben Burr-Kirven
Ben Burr-Kirven is in need of a really good game. Right now he’s the odd man out in the Seahawks linebacker room. Bobby Wagner, K.J. Wright, Mychal Kendricks, Shaquem Griffin, and Austin Calitro all seem to have guaranteed roster spots, while fellow rookie Cody Barton has the edge over Burr-Kirven right now for the sixth spot. Depending on how the Seahawks feel about Griffin outside of special teams and Kendricks’ pending insider trading hearing, there could be a possibility of room for both Barton and Burr-Kirven.
Depending on how Burr-Kirven does in the final game of the preseason, at best he’s looking at a role on the practice squad with the possibility of being activated later in the season.
C.J. Prosise
C.J. Prosise has had all of the chances you could have in the NFL and more. He’s landed himself on the injured reserve in all of his three seasons in the NFL and yet he still has a spot on the Seahawks roster. For now.
Prosise has been kept around for one reason: he’s a playmaker when he’s on the field. When Prosise was fully healthy during the first bit of his rookie year, he averaged 5.7 yards per carry. During his first game back in what felt like a long time in preseason week three, he averaged 6.4 yards on five total carries and one touchdown.
It was exciting to see Prosise in the backfield again, but the question remains if he can take on a heavier workload without getting injured again. This is certainly going to be one of the main focuses going into Seattle’s last game of the preseason as Prosise fits his way into the third running back spot and quite possibly the backup job depending on his durability and Rashaad Penny’s performance.
Rashaad Penny
Rashaad Penny may still be a raw talent but he’s likely not going to live up to his first-round draft value. It doesn’t help that he’s working behind the second- and third-string offensive line right now, but he still has too much hesitation behind the line. The biggest issue is that he can’t really get going unless there is a lot of space for him to breakthrough.
One area that could help Penny’s stock is the passing game. Pete Carroll recently addressed the idea of having Chris Carson catch more passes this upcoming season and it wouldn’t be a bad idea for Penny either. Last year, Penny caught nine out of 12 targets for 75 yards. He did really well in the flat, especially when he was able to burst through the open field and force missed tackles.
Penny might not be one of the most reliable pass-catching backs in the league, but he can do both when asked to. As questions remain surrounding his role in the offense, throwing his way in preseason week four could really boost his game going into the season.
Note that amid Jadeveon Clowney trade rumors, fans are packaging Penny in possible trades for the pass rusher, which would be interesting. But if Pete Carroll didn’t give up on Prosise so fast, it’s unlikely he would with Penny.
Jazz Ferguson and Gary Jennings
Jazz Ferguson and Gary Jennings are stuck in the rut ahead of preseason game four. They both want a spot on the team but there are simply not enough roster spots—especially at wide receiver— to go around. Ferguson and Jennings are both relying on a big performance in the final game to save themselves. Ferguson has had a better performance so far as it took Jennings a while to get adjusted. That alone could have minimized his chances to make the 53.
Not only are they battling each other for a roster spot, but they’re also battling fellow rookie, John Ursua, who has been quick, elusive, and has looked a lot like Doug Baldwin.
Pending Roster Cuts
The Seahawks had a really good 2019 draft class and signed some promising talents as undrafted free agents. But in the end, there are only 53 spots to go around meaning several are going to be left out of the bunch. With the wide receiver position being the biggest question mark, it’ll be interesting to see what Pete Carroll decides to do there and which players are worth risking on the waiver wire.
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