It’s no secret that running back Rashaad Penny has struggled to stay healthy since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2018.
But after playing just 42 games over five years with the Seahawks, Penny was a healthy scratch for much of last season while with the Eagles. He appeared in just three contests, taking 11 carries for 33 yards.
Now Penny is with the Panthers, trying to make the roster of a head coach in Dave Canales who has familiarity with him from their shared time in Seattle. And he has the confidence to compete with the likes of Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, and rookie Jonathon Brooks.
“I’ve always believed in myself, knowing my capabilities,” Penny told Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer. “I think everybody else knows that when I’m healthy, I’m probably, like, a top running back in the league. I know my place. I know what I can do. So I just keep striving from there.”
At his best, Penny can be a boost to the offense. He did average 6.3 yards per carry in 2021, his best season with the Seahawks. But he played only 10 games that year with six starts, finishing with 749 yards and six touchdowns.
Still, Penny knows he has an uphill climb to make the Panthers’ initial 53-man roster.
“I know football — what we do as a running back group — it’s all about who got the hot hand, who can stay healthy, available at the same time,” Penny said. “So it’s just being a part of the same group and feeding off each other. I think that’s the No. 1 thing.”
