Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny is not practicing after recently undergoing a cleanup procedure on his left knee, coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday. It is the same knee he injured Dec. 8, 2019, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament.
Penny played only three games in 2020 while rehabbing from the injury.
He is entering the final year of his rookie deal due to make $1.948 million in base salary in 2021. Penny, 25, has played only 27 games in his three seasons since the Seahawks made him a first-round choice, rushing for 823 yards and five touchdowns.
Carroll was asked whether this was an “important” season for Penny considering his injury history and his contract situation.
“Every year is important, and this one is for him for sure, with as much time as he missed last year,” Carroll said, via Curtis Crabtree of Sports Radio KJR and PFT. “He had a serious knee injury. Sometimes it just takes [a second] year to get back. Just the cleanup stuff and what he’s ready to take on right now, he can run full speed. We just want to make sure that his strength is balanced out in his quads. There’s no reason for us to take a chance right now [and we get him] in a bad situation. His attitude is great. His mentality is great, and yeah, it is [a big year] for every guy every year. It is ridiculously important to us and value and all of that and, and certainly it is for Rashaad.”