Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll announced on Friday that the team will place running back Rashaad Penny (ACL) on the injured reserve, ending his season.
The team plans to use his roster spot to activate offensive lineman Ethan Pocic, who is now eligible to play after missing the last 10 weeks with a neck injury.
“We’re gonna get Ethan up,” Carroll said on Friday. “He’s gonna come up this week. He’s had a really good return to us. He’ll take Penny’s spot. That’s what will happen by game time. Glad to have Ethan back, he’s been a really versatile player for us, he’s worked really hard to get back, he feels great.”
Pocic is capable of playing both center and guard, and figures to be a depth option across the offensive line for the final three games of the season.
While Pocic is an option to start at center in place of Joey Hunt, coach Pete Carroll has loved what Hunt has brought to the table so far this year, so a move seems unlikely.
“I think Joey is doing really well,” Carroll said on Wednesday. “Joey has really held up his own. Like we said from the start, his smarts are really a plus. He has been in command of what is going on up there. We have not taken a step back at all. He’s done a nice job.”
Penny suffered a knee injury early in the first quarter of last Sunday’s game against the Rams, and the team’s fears were realized when he went under the knife for ACL surgery.
His recovery will be a long one, and at this point it is unclear if he will miss any time in the 2020 season.
Veteran C.J. Prosise and rookie Travis Homer are expected to handle running back duties behind Chris Carson, and the team signed Xavier Turner to the practice squad as added depth.
[lawrence-related id=52777]