Russell Wilson hypes Seahawks' backfield
The Seattle Seahawks' revamped backfield is full of potential as the franchise looks to the post-Marshawn Lynch era in 2016.
After the emergence of undrafted free agent Thomas Rawls last season, the team drafted three talented running backs (C.J. Prosise, Alex Collins, and Zac Brooks) and still have former second-round pick Christine Michael on the roster.
With the depth chart still murky, quarterback Russell Wilson offered an early evaluation of the running backs, and he raved about the amount of options he'll have when handing the ball off, despite not knowing how much involvement each will have.
"Who knows?" Wilson told reporters following practice Wednesday. "You have to put the pads on ... I will say all the running backs that we drafted, that we brought in, look really really talented. The detail that they are playing with is great. C-Mike looks really good coming out of the back, he is catching the ball really well, he has really worked on that. He is coming out there early every day. Mid-practice too he catches with me. He is really putting his head down and going to work and that is a great thing for us."
Wilson continued his nickname fueled assessment of the running backs by touching on Rawls' return from a broken ankle.
"Obviously Thomas Rawls hopefully coming back. He was playing as good as it gets in the National Football League last year when he was playing. C.J. Prosise, a guy that runs a, I think a 4.41, can catch the ball out of the backfield, can play wide receiver if he needs to, runs the ball extremely hard, makes quick decisions. AC, Alex Collins, he runs the ball physical. He had a move last week man, I don’t think I have ever seen anyone do, so ... He makes certain plays, he runs the ball a lot of Arkansas so that is a good thing. He knows what he is doing, he knows what he is running. That is an exciting group, it will be fun to see, especially come preseason you really get to see what guys are capable of and obviously training camp, but when the lights come on things matter the most, that is just the truth of it all. It will be fun to see those guys run the football."
It's Wilson's first season without the retired Lynch holding down his backfield so the transition may be difficult once the season gets underway. One thing is certain, the Seahawks have done everything in their power to lessen the blow of losing the five-time Pro Bowler.
- With h/t to ProFootballTalk