Prosise hoping to stay healthy, produce big for Seahawks

RENTON, Washington — There’s no questioning C.J. Prosise’s talent, only his ability to remain on the football field.

The third-year running back for the Seattle Seahawks was plagued by injuries throughout his first two years in the NFL. From serious ailments such as a fractured scapula, broken wrist bone and high-ankle sprains to more minor ones like groin, hamstring and hip strains, Prosise has been sidelined constantly.

With Chris Carson back from injury himself and Seattle using their first-round pick on San Diego State back Rashaad Penny, there is an urgency for Prosise to be able to stay healthy and contribute regularly this season.

Prosise spent the off-season trying to get physically ready to make the most of what could be a final opportunity with Seattle.

“I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life,” Prosise said. “I feel like I can do anything on the field. I feel 100 per cent and ready to go so I’m excited for this camp. We play a physical game and injuries happen and you can’t avoid it. This off-season was geared around getting my body prepared to take the punishment that my body needs to take and so my body is in that position to do that now. So I’m ready to play.”

Prosise buckled down with a personal trainer this off-season and was focused on putting himself in a position to withstand the types of injuries that had hampered him his first two seasons.

“That was a big change I made,” Prosise said. “Before this I didn’t put as much work as I should have been putting in. Now, I’ve kind of figured out my regimen. And also just getting on the field every day and working with drills, specific running back drills and stuff. For the most part hitting the weight room really hard and getting my body toned up and ready for the season is really what’s helped the most.”

Prosise has played in just 11 games in his two years in Seattle. But the limited action was still enough to show the type of player he can be when he’s in peak form. As a rookie in his first career start, he gained 153 yards from scrimmage in a victory over a New England Patriots team that would go on to the win the Super Bowl. His ability to perform both as a runner and as a receiver out of the backfield caused fits for the Patriots defence.

A week later, Prosise broke free for a 72-yard touchdown run against the Philadelphia Eagles. Then Prosise was sidelined when he broke his shoulder blade late in the first half and missed the rest of the season.

A pair of high-ankle sprains held him to just five games played a year ago as well.

Maybe it’s the same tease he’s provided in his first two camps with Seattle, but Prosise is again drawing praise in the early stages of training camp.

“I’m so fired up for him,” head coach Pete Carroll said. “He’s always been such a terrific potential guy and he has just not been able to stay healthy. He’s leaner and stronger. He just is more fit, which screams at how hard he worked and how important this is to him. Couldn’t send a better message.”

The old adage that your greatest ability is your availability couldn’t be more apt when it comes to Prosise. All of his potential will go unrealized if he’s not available on Sundays due to injuries. But as Seattle tries to right a rushing attack that managed just one rushing touchdown from the running back position all last season, having an athlete such as Prosise at its disposal would be welcome.

Thomas reiterates desire for new deal or trade

Holdout safety Earl Thomas said again on Thursday he wants to be traded if the Seattle Seahawks aren’t willing to offer him a contract extension.

Thomas explained the reasoning behind his ongoing holdout in a long post on The Players’ Tribune. Thomas has skipped Seattle’s entire off-season program and missed the first week of training camp.

Thomas said his holdout is based around securing his longterm future with his current contract set to expire at the conclusion of the 2018 season.

“One of the reasons I’ve always played so hard is because I want my actions on the field to be able to speak for me,” Thomas wrote. “But I can’t do that right now — and I’m in a situation where I feel like I really have to say something. Not just on behalf of myself, but also for the other players.”

Thomas is a three-time firstteam All-Pro and was the anchor for the Seattle defence that appeared in consecutive Super Bowls, winning the first. Aside from a broken leg suffered late in the 2016 season, Thomas has been a durable starter from the time he arrived in the league. Thomas has missed just seven regular-season games in his career.

Thomas said he was shaken by the injuries suffered by Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor — two other members of Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” secondary — in a game last season. Sherman ruptured his Achilles tendon, ending his season, and Chancellor suffered a neck injury.

“Your entire life can change on one play. No matter what you’ve accomplished in the past, you can still get cut without even so much as a negotiation,” Thomas wrote.