Seahawks first-round draft pick Rashaad Penny quickly has fallen off the radar screen, and his reaction is what you would expect it to be.
“He’s handling it but he’s frustrated and that’s exactly what I want,” coach Pete Carroll told reporters on Tuesday. “I want him to be frustrated, I want him to be anxious to get out there, I want him to be unsatisfied with what’s going on right now. That’s fine. I think that’s the only way he should be. He’s classy and he’s for the team and every time he would say anything, he would always talk about the team first so he’s got his priorities in line and I expect him to keep battling.”
Penny currently sits behind Chris Carson and Mike Davis, and Penny had zero rushing attempts or pass receptions on Sunday against the Rams.
“He’s just looking for his opportunity, he’s dying to get in there,” Carroll said. “He’s just scratching, clawing to get back out there and get more turns. There just wasn’t enough [opportunities], but this is a long season, there’s a lot of carries, there’s a lot of running to be done. I can’t wait to see him get in there and get going too. He’s done nothing but good stuff for us.”
Carroll believes that the finger injury suffered by Penny in August has contributed to his current status.
“It certainly did,” Carrol said. “In your rookie camp, you don’t want to miss a month, that’s pretty hard. It just did, but he’s back now. He’s worked really hard in the last few weeks, the last three weeks, to make sure that he wouldn’t just arrive, but he’s there in shape ready to go and ready for the opportunity to come. He’s taking a good step forward.”
It feels like he’s taking a step backward. A week after getting nine carries (and turning them into 49 yards), Penny was the odd man out against the Rams. His next opportunity will come in London, when the Seahawks face the Raiders.