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Seahawks running back Chris Carson could miss game against 49ers with foot injury suffered vs. Cardinals

Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson (32) runs as Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker De’Vondre Campbell defends during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz.  (Rick Scuteri)
By Bob Condotta Seattle Times

The results are in on the foot of Seahawks running back Chris Carson.

And while an MRI didn’t reveal an injury that would endanger Carson’s season, it did show that Carson has a mid-foot sprain and almost certainly will miss at least Sunday’s game against the 49ers.

A source confirmed to the Seattle Times the initial report of Carson’s prognosis from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The hope is Carson at most will miss one or two games, which would also hopefully mean he will not have to go on Injured Reserve, which would require being out for at least three games.

Rapoport reported that Carson is considered “week-to-week,” which seems to indicate he’ll be out against the 49ers and reassessed for the Nov. 8 game at Buffalo.

Carson was injured in the first half of Sunday night’s 37-34 overtime loss at Arizona after playing 15 snaps and rushing six times for 34 yards, including a 10-yard run on the first series that helped set up Seattle’s first touchdown.

Carlos Hyde took over the bulk of the duties, with Carson sidelined, and had season highs of 68 yards on 15 carries including a 24-yard touchdown.

The 30-year-old Hyde was signed in the spring as depth behind Carson, who has suffered season-ending injuries two of his first three years with Seattle. Hyde rushed for a career-high 1,070 yards last year with Houston and should take over the starting tailback job , beginning with the game against the 49ers, for whom Hyde played in 2014-17. Hyde signed a one-year deal with Seattle worth up to $2.75 million.

Hyde missed Seattle’s last two games with a shoulder injury before returning after the bye to play against Arizona.

Seattle ended Sunday’s game with just two healthy running backs as Travis Homer was lost with a knee contusion in the fourth quarter, leaving just Hyde and rookie DeeJay Dallas to handle the position.

If Homer is out for a while, the Seahawks may need to make a move to add a running back.

Rashaad Penny continues to rehab from a knee injury from Dec. 8 at Los Angeles, and coach Pete Carroll said Monday on 710 ESPN Seattle that he would not be ready to return to practice this week.

Seattle does not have any running backs on its practice squad, so the Seahawks would have to scour the ranks of free agents to add any.

One possible option could be former Seahawk C.J. Prosise, who was cut by Houston on Monday. Prosise was a third-round pick of Seattle’s in 2016 and knows well the team’s third-down, two-minute back role that Homer has primarily filled this season.

Carson leads the Seahawks with 323 yards on 66 carries with a career-high 4.9 yard per carry average.

He also has 22 receptions for 147 yards and three touchdowns.

Carson is in the final year of his initial four-year rookie deal after being taken in the seventh round out of Oklahoma State.