Seahawks’ top draft pick out with a broken finger

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Bob Condotta

The Seattle Times

SEATTLE — Rashaad Penny, the Seahawks’ first-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft, suffered a hand injury that includes a broken finger in practice Monday, multiple sources told the Seattle Times.

It was later reported by Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network that Penny flew to Philadelphia on Tuesday night to undergo surgery to repair the broken finger. He’s expected to be out 3-4 weeks. That would mean he might be able to return for the regular-season opener on Sept. 9 at Denver but would likely miss the remainder of the preseason.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is expected to meet the media Wednesday and clarify the injury.

Penny was the 27th overall pick out of San Diego State and represented just the third tailback Seattle has drafted in the first round, the others being Curt Warner and Shaun Alexander. Penny left Monday’s practice midway through. The Seahawks did not practice Tuesday but will be back on the field Wednesday.

Penny had 16 yards on eight carries in his NFL preseason debut Thursday in a 19-17 loss to the Colts working as the No. 2 tailback behind second-year player Chris Carson.

With Penny out, the Seahawks need others to step into the backup role behind Carson.

Mike Davis, who was Seattle’s leading rusher among the running backs last season with 240 yards, has been listed as the No. 3 tailback behind Carson and Penny. Davis has been thought on the bubble to make the initial 53-man roster. But if Penny’s injury were to linger into the regular season then Davis could take on a larger role. There is only one cutdown date this year, to 53, on Sept. 1 following the final of four preseason games.

The Seahawks have three other tailbacks on the roster: C.J. Prosise, J.D. McKissic and recently signed Gerald Holmes.

Prosise, a third-year player out of Notre Dame, also missed the game against the Colts with a hip flexor injury but it was expected he will return to practice this week with a chance to play Saturday against the Los Angeles Chargers in Carson, California. He has battled injuries throughout his two seasons with the Seahawks, playing in just 11 of 32 regular-season games and his spot on the team’s 53-man roster this season has seemed far from guaranteed if he cannot stay healthy.

Holmes played at Michigan State and signed with the Seahawks last week before the game against the Colts and did not have a carry in the game against Indy. The 6-1, 231-pounder started five games for Michigan State last season with 287 yards on 79 carries.