Chris Carson

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson "worked hard in recent days" to see his team re-sign running back Chris Carson, per ESPN's Brady Henderson.

Carson agreed to a three-year, $24.65 million deal that voids after two years, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The 26-year-old Carson rushed for a career-high 4.8 yards per carry last season. He ended up amassing 968 total yards and nine touchdowns in an injury-shortened season. Carson missed four games due to a mid-foot sprain.

Carson's previous two years with the team were prosperous. He combined for 2,810 total yards and 18 touchdowns over the 2018 and 2019 seasons and eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark each season.

The Seahawks selected Carson with a seventh-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft out of Oklahoma State. He began the season as the team's top tailback but suffered a season-ending leg fracture.

He figures to lead a backfield that also includes Travis Homer, Alex Collins and Deejay Dallas as of now.

The Seattle Seahawks are bringing back running back Chris Carson on a three-year deal worth $24.625 million, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

Schefter added that the deal voids after two years, essentially making it a two-year contract. 

The Seahawks had roughly $427,000 in cap space prior to the deal, per Over the Cap. 

Carson was widely considered to be one of the best running backs on the free-agent market.

In 2020, Carson appeared in 12 games, rushing for 681 yards and five touchdowns while adding a career-high 287 receiving yards and four touchdowns as he struggled with injuries. Through four seasons in the league, Carson has never appeared in all 16 games.  

The team chose not to use the franchise tag on him, it was reported by NFL Network's Michael Giardi on Tuesday that the New England Patriots had been "in contact" with the Seahawks' seventh-round pick from 2017. 

The Seahawks brought Ahkello Witherspoon in to serve as cornerback following the departure of Shaquill Griffin to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency.

They also reportedly signed tight end Gerald Everett and traded for guard Gabe Jackson. Jackson, with the re-signed center Ethan Pocic will function largely to please Russell Wilson, who has expressed his displeasure with the Seahawks offensive line. 

The Seattle Seahawks and running back Chris Carson reportedly agreed to a three-year, $24.625 million deal on Friday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schefter noted the deal voids after two years.

The 26-year-old has emerged as Seattle's feature back, rushing for at least 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns between the 2018-19 seasons. In 2020, he played in just 12 games, however, rushing for 681 yards and five scores (averaging 4.8 yards per carry) while also adding 37 receptions for 287 yards and another four touchdowns. 

Carson's durability is becoming a concern. His 2019 season was cut short that December because of a fractured hip, taking him out of the postseason.

The Seahawks are banking on Carson returning to full strength in 2021, giving him a major financial commitment. He was Seattle's most consistent threat at the position in the post-Marshawn Lynch world.

Rashaad Penny was a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft, making him the presumed future starter at the time. That never came to fruition. Players like Penny, Carlos Hyde and DeeJay Dallas couldn't offer nearly the same production in 2020 as Carson.

And now Carson is being paid like a key figure in Seattle's offense going forward.

The New England Patriots have reached out to representatives for veteran running back Chris Carson, according to NFL Network's Michael Giardi.

Albert Breer of The MMQB reported earlier Tuesday that New England had emerged as a possibility for Leonard Fournette.

Per Giardi, the Patriots are "intent" on adding a running back in free agency.

The Patriots have already committed to spend a lot of money this offseason, agreeing to deals with Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Davon Godchaux, Jalen Mills, Matthew Judon, Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry among others.

Whether New England has spent wisely is another matter.

The team used a first-round pick on Sony Michel in 2018 and added Damien Harris in the third round of the 2019 draft. Turning around and signing a running back would seem somewhat puzzling. The Providence Journal's Mark Daniels provided one possible explanation:

The Seattle Seahawks declined to use the franchise tag on Carson, thus allowing him to hit the open market.

The 26-year-old ran for 681 yards in 2020, well below his performance in 2018 (1,151) and 2019 (1,230). But his 4.8 yards per carry were a career high, and he caught 46 passes for a personal-best 287 yards and four touchdowns.

While not one of the league's premier running backs, Carson has consistently played at a high level since becoming Seattle's primary ball-carrier in 2018.

Because Carson is a pretty similar runner to both Harris and Michel, you'd have to wonder whether his arrival would signal the departure of either back. At the very least, Michel's future would be thrust into doubt since he's eligible for free agency in 2022.

The Seattle Seahawks reportedly won't use the franchise tag on either running back Chris Carson or cornerback Shaquill Griffin ahead of Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Seahawks informed Carson of his impending free agency, while Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Griffin will hit the open market, where Seattle will "work to retain him."

Carson and Griffin will be among the most sought-after players at their respective positions. Carson rushed for 681 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games in 2020. He also made 37 receptions for 287 yards and four scores, remaining effective but again struggling with injuries. The four-year veteran has never played 16 games in a season and has been a fixture on the injury list.

For his career, Carson has rushed for 3,270 yards and 21 touchdowns, averaging no less than 4.2 yards per carry in a season. He also has 101 catches for 775 yards and seven scores. Pro Football Focus gave Carson a 78.1 grade in 2020, and he's posted a grade of at least 73.1 in every season.

The free-agent market hasn't been kind to running backs in recent years, but Carson shouldn't lack for suitors on a short-term deal where he'll likely open 2021 as a starter.

Griffin has been solid during his four seasons in Seattle, making the Pro Bowl in 2019 before crashing back to earth last season. PFF gave Griffin a grade of 64.1 in 2020 after a 77.0 mark the previous season.

"I would love to be back in Seattle, but I know there's a business aspect behind it," Griffin said last week on Good Morning Football (h/t NBC Sports Northwest). "But that organization knows I love it over there—the fans and the coaches know how much I love Seattle. But at the end of the day, I know it's strictly business."

Griffin profiles more as a second cornerback than someone at the top of the depth chart, but he's a solid athlete who can keep up with nearly any wideout on the edge. Leaving Seattle could test his skills, given the Seahawks' penchant for developing stars in the secondary.