The Seahawks have managed to keep running back Chris Carson in Seattle.
According to multiple reports, the Seahawks have reached an agreement with Carson on a two-year deal worth $14.625 million. The deal was first reported by Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.
The contract contains a third year in the deal which is voidable, which allows Seattle to spread out the salary cap effects of the contract over a third season. The total value of the deal is three years and $24.625 million.
Carson has been a highly productive back for Seattle was he's been healthy. He rushed for 1,151 yards and nine touchdowns in 2018 for the Seahawks and followed it up with 1,230 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019.
He missed most of his rookie year due to a broken ankle and a hamstring injury forced him to miss four games last season. He had a non-displaced fracture in his hip late in the 2019 season that forced him out for the playoffs as well.
The Seahawks elected not to use a franchise or transition tag on Carson, which allowed him to hit the free agent market. A franchise tag would have carried a value of $8.66 million for this season and the transition tag would have been $7.22 million. The deal they reached with Carson to get him back with the team averages $7.31 million over the next two seasons. Those contracts would have come with the full amounts on this year's salary cap. T
The likely cap hit for Carson after his deal with the team will likely be well under those figures. Via Field Yates of ESPN.com, Carson will earn a guaranteed $5.5 million with the team in 2021 with the ability to reach $6.9 million through likely incentives. The voidable third year just allows the Seahawks to spread out the cap hit of any signing bonus given to Carson over an extra season to lessen the amount of this year's salary cap.
Carson has been a favorite of head coach Pete Carroll from the moment the team drafted him in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft. His physical running style fits the type of approach Carroll wants to have in his rushing attack. With Carroll wanting to commit more to the running game in 2021, Carson's return to the offense would appear to be a very welcome fit for the team.
Photo Credit: GLENDALE, ARIZONA - JANUARY 03: Running back Chris Carson #32 of the Seattle Seahawks rushes the football against the San Francisco 49ers during the first half of the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on January 03, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)