Lead back Chris Carson misses practice with new issue two days before Seahawks host Rams
The need to get Chris Carson more involved in new play caller Shane Waldron’s run-based Seahawks offense has hit a snag.
Carson has a new injury issue.
The lead running back missed Seattle’s practice Tuesday two days before the team hosts the rival Los Angeles Rams. Carson has a neck injury, per the Seahawks’ latest injury report.
Carson has 232 yards rushing this season. It’s his fewest through four games since he broke his leg early in the fourth game of his rookie season of 2017 and missed the rest of that year. He had 30 yards on 13 carries Sunday at San Francisco. Alex Collins was the spark at running back. Collins’ 28-yard catch and run for Seattle’s initial first down of the game with 4-1/2 minutes left in the first half got Russell Wilson and Waldron into a more up-tempo mode, and the Seahawks scored 21 unanswered points to beat the 49ers.
Carson played 25 snaps at San Francisco. Collins played 22.
Waldron says the Seahawks’ problem of converting just 33% of third downs this season, fourth-worst in the NFL, is from not running the ball efficiently on first and second downs. Carson is a focal man in that goal.
“It all starts with that first- and second-down execution,” Waldron said following practice Tuesday.
“Yes, yes, yes — (it’s) if we can stay efficient with those runs.”
Carson was listed as not participating in Seattle’s walk-through practice Monday, listed as “not injury related -resting veteran” to begin this week.
The team first listed Carson with a neck issue on the first practice report of the regular season, Wednesday, Sept. 8 before Seattle’s opening game at Indianapolis. He was listed as a full practice participant/neck all that week, then had his most productive game of the young season: 16 carries, 91 yards with three catches and 36 yards receiving in the Seahawks’ win at the Colts.
Carson was limited in practice on Wednesday in week two before Seattle played Tennessee and again the next week when the Seahawks played at Minnesota. Both times the team listed the reason as “not injury related - resting veteran.”
The short turnaround between the win over the 49ers and Thursday’s game against the Rams means Carson missing practice Tuesday doesn’t necessarily mean he will be limited in playing Los Angeles.
Rookie wide receiver Dee Eskridge did not practice. It’s a concern that he is not progressing in the league’s concussion protocol almost a full month after he got a concussion running a fly sweep against the Colts Sept. 12.
Wide receiver Cody Thompson could be signed to the active roster for good off the practice squad Thursday. Thompson, 25, is out of promotion options from the practice squad for games and back to the practice squad without waivers after them; he’s done that the last two weeks.
The Seahawks’ good injury news was Brandon Shell was a full participant in practice for the first time since the starting right tackle sprained his ankle late in the team’s loss to the Titans Sept. 19.
Defensive end/linebacker Darrell Taylor (ankle), wide receiver DK Metcalf (foot) and defensive end Carlos Dunlap (toe) were limited in Tuesday’s practice.
This story was originally published October 5, 2021 at 5:50 PM with the headline "Lead back Chris Carson misses practice with new issue two days before Seahawks host Rams."
