_With Seahawks training camp set to kick off later this month, Seahawks.com is taking a look at 12 of the team's most intriguing storylines, position battles and players heading into the 2020 season. Today we look at running back and how free-agent signing Carlos Hyde might fit into the offense, and tomorrow we'll turn our attention to quarterback Russell Wilson and if this is the year he finally gets some serious MVP consideration. _
A year ago, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll was excited about his team's one-two punch at running back with Chris Carson coming off of a huge season and with 2018 first-round pick Rashaad Penny expected to take on a bigger role in his second season.
And indeed those two were looking like quite the dynamic duo in 2019, particularly late in the season before Penny's season was cut short due to a torn ACL.
Heading into 2020, the Seahawks are counting on those to players to again be big parts of Seattle's offense, but they also added veteran running back Carlos Hyde in free agency, a player who is coming off of 1,070-yard season with Houston last year, and who gained more than 900 yards in both 2016 and 2017 as the 49ers' starting running back.
"I'm really excited about adding him to our team," Carroll said last month. "I've always loved the way he played. You guys know, you've seen him, he fits the kind of style that we love. He plays at 230. He runs this hard as he can possibly run, he's got creativity to him, he's got style. He can catch the football. He had a fantastic season last year, but he's had a lot of really good years leading up to that. We've competed against him enough—the first thing I said was, 'Finally, we get you on our side.' So we're really thrilled to have him.
The addition of Hyde is good news for Seattle's offense, which always strives to be productive and explosive both in the running game and the passing game, but the move also brings up the question of how exactly he'll fit into a backfield that includes Carson and Penny, as well as 2019 draft pick Travis Homer and rookie DeeJay Dallas.
The short answer, according to Carroll, is that competition will determine how Hyde and everyone else fit in.
"I know there's some questions, where does he fit in and all that?" Carroll said. "He fits right into the competition, I feel like I've said this a thousand times to you guys, but this is a great position for competition, and he and Chris run in similar fashion in the way that they slash and hit it. I don't know where he's going to settle in, I don't really care right now, I just know he's going to do good. And he gives us a chance to really bring Rashad back and carefully bring him back so that he's a hundred percent right and ready to go when we cut him loose."
The latter part of Carroll's answer might give the most clarity as to why the Seahawks went out and signed an established back of Hyde's caliber even with Carson and Penny already on the roster. Both Carroll and general manager John Schneider have said in interviews this offseason that Penny, whose ACL injury came in December after he had rushed for 203 yards and two scores in Seattle's previous two games, likely won't be ready for the start of training camp, and could start the season on the physically unable to perform list. Players who start the year on the PUP list have to miss at least six games, so even if Carson is ready to go in Week 1—he too finished the season on injured reserve due to a hip injury—an extra experienced back like Hyde could be needed to make up for Penny's potential absence.
And regardless of Penny or Carson's status to start the season, running back is a position where depth is important throughout the year—just ask the 2016 Seahawks who had 11 different running backs or fullbacks with at least one rushing attempt during the regular season.
If Penny isn't ready to start the season, or if the Seahawks want to ease Carson back into action when camp starts, then there's a clear spot for a quality veteran like Hyde in the running back rotation. If any when everyone's available, Hyde says he's ready to compete and show he can help the team even when that one-two punch is back to full strength.
"I'm looking forward to competing," Hyde said last month. "There's definitely going to be competition with Carson and Penny, guys who have already been there, who are already established. So you definitely got to come in and compete, you're coming in trying to take a guy's job who's already been there. Carson has been putting up a thousand yards like it's nothing each year. So it's definitely tough coming in trying to replace a guy like that, but I'm definitely open to the competition. It's not my first year in the league, I'm going on year seven, so I'm use to competing. It brings out the best in me, so I'm looking forward to it.
"Whatever it boils down to, whatever coach tells me, this is what we need you to do, I'm all for it. I'm coming in right now with the mindset of trying to be that guy, every down back, be the guy for the team."
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Photos from throughout running back Carlos Hyde's playing career.
Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde (23) before an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)
Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde (23) runs the ball against Jacksonville Jaguars free safety Jarrod Wilson (26) during the second half of an NFL football game at Wembley Stadium, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, in London. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)
Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde (23) runs the football during an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020, in Houston. The Texans defeated the Bills in overtime, 22-19. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde (23) runs with the ball during an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs beat the Texans 51-31. (Cooper Neill via AP)
Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde (23) runs the football to score a touchdown during an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2020, in Houston. The Texans defeated the Bills in overtime, 22-19. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Cleveland Browns running back Carlos Hyde (34) rushes for a 1-yard touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde (23) gestures towards the stands after he scores a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde (23) avoids a tackle by New Orleans Saints outside linebacker Demario Davis (56) during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Monday, September 9, 2019 in New Orleans. The Saints beat the Texans 30-28. (Cooper Neill via AP)
Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde (23) runs against the Indianapolis Colts during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde (23) celebrates for the cameras after his touchdown run against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark LoMoglio)
Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde (23) runs past Jacksonville Jaguars middle linebacker Myles Jack (44) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde (23) is introduced before an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019, in Houston. The Texans beat the Colts 20-17. (Cooper Neill via AP)
Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde (23) carries the ball during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Texans running back Carlos Hyde (23) beats Tennessee Titans cornerback Logan Ryan (26) to the end zone as Hyde scores a touchdown on a 10-yard run in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/James Kenney)
Kansas City Chiefs running back Carlos Hyde signs autographs at NFL football training camp Saturday, July 27, 2019, in St. Joseph, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Jacksonville Jaguars running back Carlos Hyde (34) rushes for yardage during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
FILE - In this Sept. 16, 2018, file photo, Cleveland Browns running back Carlos Hyde (34) scores a touchdown past New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) during the second half of an NFL football game in New Orleans. The Jacksonville Jaguars traded for Cleveland running back Hyde on Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, adding a proven starter while Leonard Fournette progresses slowly from a strained right hamstring. (AP Photo/Butch Dill, File)
Cleveland Browns running back Carlos Hyde (34) runs the football during an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, Sept. 30, 2018, in Oakland, Calif. The Raiders defeated the Browns in overtime, 45-42. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Cleveland Browns running back Carlos Hyde (34) runs the football to score a touchdown during an NFL preseason football game against the Buffalo Bills, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018, in Cleveland. The Bills defeated the Browns, 19-17. (Ryan Kang via AP)
Cleveland Browns running back Carlos Hyde flips the ball during NFL football training camp, Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018, in Berea, Ohio. (AP Photo/David Dermer)
San Francisco 49ers Carlos Hyde (28) was in the run during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, December 31, 2017, in Los Angeles CA (Terrell Lloyd via AP Images)
San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde, right, scores past Los Angeles Rams linebacker Carlos Thompson during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) celebrates his touchdown during an NFL regular season football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Dec. 24, 2017 in Santa Clara, Calif. The 49ers won, 44-33. (Ric Tapia via AP)
