Gregg Bell
The News Tribune
A league source confirmed to The News Tribune that Seahawks rookie first-round draft choice Rashaad Penny was in Philadelphia Wednesday morning for hand surgery to repair a broken finger.
The running back is expected to miss up to few weeks.
The source asked not to be identified because the team had not confirmed Penny’s injury as of Wednesday prior to practice. Coach Pete Carroll was scheduled to talk to the media about Penny’s injury after that workout.
Multiple reports Tuesday night cited league sources saying Penny has a broken finger. Ian Rapoport of league-owned NFL Network reported Penny was on his way to Philadelphia for surgery Wednesday morning and that the running back is expected to miss three to four weeks.
That would mean he’s not likely to play in Seattle’s opener Sept. 9 at Denver.
The timeline of recovery suggests Penny will begin the regular season on the 53-man active roster rather than an injured list that would keep him out for up to a half the season.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Twitter Wednesday a source informed him it was a “minor surgery on his pointer finger,” that Penny is having a screw inserted and “he should be ready by Week 1.”
Penny left Monday’s practice before it ended. After it, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was asked if Penny was OK.
“I think so. Yeah, I think so,” Schottenheimer said. “I haven’t heard yet, but I think so.”
Penny exited the practice with an apparent injury after he completed an impressive pass-rush drill between running backs and charging linebackers. Penny twice stonewalled rookie fifth-round pick Shaquem Griffin, and also stopped undrafted rookie Jake Pugh. Penny was the only back in the drill to win each of his turns, and during it did not appear injured.
Penny has been focused this spring and summer in his Seattle debut on improving his pass blocking, something he rarely was asked to do while leading major-college football in rushing last season at San Diego State.
Without Penny, Chris Carson becomes an even clearer number-one running back than he already had asserted himself to be this month impressively coming back from a broken leg. Mike Davis, who started at the end of last season, stands to gain more chances with the starting offense in the final three preseason games beginning Saturday at the Los Angeles Chargers, while Penny is out.
In April, Penny became only the third running back the Seahawks drafted in the first round, after Curt Warner and Shaun Alexander.
