Reports: Seahawks re-sign starting RB Chris Carson to multi-year deal

Head coach Pete Carroll told reporters after the 2020 season concluded that he wanted the Seahawks to run the football more and more effectively in 2021. Well, it looks like Carroll has a back he’s familiar with to lead that charge.

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According to multiple reports, including NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, the Seahawks will bring Chris Carson back to Seattle on a multi-year deal. Per Pelissero, the contract is worth up to $14.625 million over two seasons.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the deal is actually for three years and $24.625 million, but the third year is voidable. Fowler later reported that Carson gets $5.5 million in guarantees in 2021 and can earn up to $6.9 million in 2022.

Carson, who turns 27 in September, was drafted by the Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2017 draft after playing collegiately at Oklahoma State. After his rookie season was cut short after just four games, Carson became the Seahawks’ lead back in 2018, a role he’s held ever since.

In 2018, Carson tallied 1,151 rushing yards and nine touchdowns while averaging 4.7 yards per carry across 14 games. In 2019, Carson again rushed for over 1,000 yards, finishing the season with a career-high 1,230 yards and seven rushing touchdowns in 15 games.

2020 was a strange one for Carson as a foot injury limited him to 12 games and Seattle passed more than usual, so Carson finished the year with 681 rushing yards and five rushing scores and a career-high 4.8 yards per carry. Carson did, however, become more of a focal point in the passing game as he tied his career high with 37 receptions and he also caught four touchdowns from quarterback Russell Wilson.

Speaking of Wilson, he shared his excitement at the news that Carson is reportedly back with the Seahawks.

Big time! Let’s go 32!!! https://t.co/VvNkU2CFXZ

— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) March 19, 2021

Because the Seahawks chose not to extend Carson during the season or ahead of free agency, it wasn’t clear whether or not he’d be returning. Fowler reported that Carson also had interest from the New England Patriots, New York Jets and Carolina Panthers.

Something to note with Carson is that he has yet to play a full season. He suffered a season-ending ankle injury his rookie season, he missed two games with various injuries in 2018, he suffered a season-ending hip injury in Week 16 of 2019 and in 2020, he missed time in the middle of the season with a foot injury.

Now, Carson will return to Seattle’s running back room, which has plenty of depth. In addition to Carson, the Seahawks have 2018 first-round pick Rashaad Penny, 2020 fourth-round pick DeeJay Dallas, 2019 sixth-round pick Travis Homer and 2015 fifth-round pick Alex Collins, who returned to Seattle last season and re-signed earlier this offseason.

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