The former Alabama superstar signed a one-year deal with Seattle during the offseason after spending the first four years of his career with Green Bay. He rushed for over 3400 yards and 23 touchdowns as a Packer, adding another 900 yards and six scores as a pass catcher. In a career that started off strong, Lacy looked like the Packers’ long-term answer at running back but a slew of injuries and a bad diet would inevitably keep him off the field.
Now with the Seahawks in Seattle, Lacy will get a chance to show he still has what it takes. Chris Carson leads the team in yards (209) and was the team’s go-to back before fracturing his knee on a bad fall in garbage time last week. C.J. Prosise, another cog in Seattle’s busy backfield, is expected to miss another week with a bad ankle. Thomas Rawls was one of the most hyped running backs last season but has been banged up for most of this season and has yet to look like himself. That leaves Eddie Lacy, who ranks third on the team in rushing yards behind Carson and Russell Wilson.
Part of Lacy’s contract included weight incentives paying him a lump sum for each time he weighed in at a specified number. He collected all of the checks possible this off season and looks noticeably trimmer than in the last couple of years.
For him to succeed in Seattle behind their woeful offensive line, Lacy will not need out-of-this-world speed. He just needs to show the patience he displayed early in his career and will probably have to break a few tackles, something he has always had a knack for. His bullish skill set compares favorably to that of Marshawn Lynch from a couple of seasons ago, but he has yet to show the second gear speed he had in college and in his early Packers career.
He does not have to be a world beater, but Lacy’s skill set gives Seattle the best chance to win in comparison to the remaining healthy backs on the roster. Most likely they will have him and newfound stud speed back, J.D. McKissic, split touches. This could prove to be a viable duo.
