Chris Carson away indefinitely after family death, Seahawks using Carlos Hyde insurance
Leading rusher Chris Carson is away from Seahawks training camp indefinitely following a death in his family and related, serious issues back home.
“Chris has got some family stuff going on that he’s had to take care of,” coach Pete Carroll said Wednesday following the first practice of Seahawks training camp.
“Our hearts go out to Chris. He’s going through some really big stuff with family members that he is looking after and taking care of.
“He’s fine, and all that. It has nothing to do with Chris (himself), personally, physically or anything. But he has to do this, at this time, right now.”
The Seahawks have three more no-pads practices ending Sunday, after a players’ off day Saturday. The first day they can go offense versus defense in 11-on-11 drills in practice is Friday.
Seattle’s first full-pads, real-football practice is scheduled for Monday.
“I’m not sure how many more days it’s going to be before he takes care of all of that business,” Carroll said. “But they are trying to figure it all out. It’s back home.”
Carson’s hometown is Lilburn, Ga. He played collegiately at Oklahoma State.
“It’s a ways away. So we’ve got some things to work out,” Carroll said. “And we are in full support of what he’s got to get done.”
Asked if it is a death of a family member to which Carson is attending back home, Carroll said: “Yeah.
“There’s a couple things that have happened.”
With Carson away and second-string running back Rashaad Penny on the physically-unable-to-perform list following reconstructive knee surgery last winter, the number-one running back to begin camp is Carlos Hyde. The former San Francisco 49ers lead back signed with Seattle this offseason, months after his first career 1,000-yard rushing season, for Houston.
The second-team running back behind Hyde to begin camp is Travis Homer. The sixth-round draft choice in 2019 from Miami started one game as a rookie, in December. That was after Carson and Penny and third-string running back C.J. Prosise all sustained season-ending injuries, and before the Seahawks brought back Marshawn Lynch for a playoff run last winter.
In what’s become an annual issue in recent seasons, Seattle had just three tailbacks on the field for the first practice of camp: Hyde, Homer and rookie DeeJay Dallas, the team’s sixth-round draft choice in April, also from Miami.
They have one career start for the Seahawks between the three of them.
Carroll said Dallas, a former college wide receiver at Miami, has been particularly impressive learning the offense and in catching passing through the first two weeks of conditioning drills and installation of the playbook.
“DeeJay has made a very good first impression,” Carroll said, noting his versatility.
Dallas almost has to make a good impression. His jersey number is 31 — the former number for Seahawks legend Kam Chancellor.
“I’m anxious to see what he can do,” Carroll said.
Hyde, 29, said this spring he understood he is here as insurance for Carson, who is coming off a season-ending cracked hip from December.
The Seahawks are already putting that $2.75 million insurance plan to use.
“It’s probably an open competition for that second role. I don’t think — me, personally — I don’t think there’s probably an open competition for the starting role,” Hyde said in the spring.
“I think everybody knows who the starting running back is for Seattle,” Hyde said. “And that’s Carson.
“I knew that before I even signed with Seattle, that he was the guy.”
Carson, 25, is entering the final season of the rookie contract he signed as a seventh-round pick for Seattle in 2017. He’s rushed for more than 2,300 yards total in the last two seasons. But he hasn’t completed a full season injury-free since junior college.
He’s been on track back from his hip injury to start the Seahawks’ opening game, Sept. 13 at Atlanta.
This story was originally published August 12, 2020 at 3:45 PM.
