Eddie Lacy, Seahawks Agree on 1-Year Contract

Running back Eddie Lacy battled weight issues, fluctuating production and injuries during the first four seasons of his NFL career, but the Seattle Seahawks are taking a chance on him in 2017.   

The Seahawks announced the deal. Lacy's agents at SportsTrust Advisors also tweeted he agreed to a deal with the team Tuesday.

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the 26-year-old's contract is for one year and $5.55 million with $3 million guaranteed. On Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of USA Today reported there is a $385,000 weight bonus in the deal.

Field Yates of ESPN provided a breakdown of the weight bonus on Thursday:

This deal comes after the Alabama product's 2016 season ended after just five games thanks to an ankle injury that required surgery. That left the Green Bay Packers short-handed at running back, and they turned to then-wide receiver Ty Montgomery to handle some of the duties down the stretch.

Lacy finished with 360 rushing yards and zero touchdowns in those five games, but his 5.1 yards-per-carry average represented a career high and a significant boost from the 4.1 average he posted in 2015.

The 2013 second-round pick broke onto the scene as a rookie with 1,178 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns and followed that up with an impressive second season that saw him develop as a receiving threat:

Season	Games	Rushing Yards	Yards Per Carry	Rushing TDs	Catches	Receiving Yards	TD Catches
2013	15	1,178	4.1	11	35	257	0
2014	16	1,139	4.6	9	42	427	4
2015	15	758	4.1	3	20	188	2
2016	5	360	5.1	0	4	28	0

Lacy's dip in production in 2015 and injury issues in 2016 decreased his value heading into free agency. What's more, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com noted Packers head coach Mike McCarthy called out the running back for being overweight after his lackluster 2015 campaign.

Demovsky predicted, "There will be plenty of clubs scared off by Lacy's weight issues."

However, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll noted after signing Lacy that he "wants him big" and that the team will make a "concerted effort" to keep the running back in shape, per Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.

Bob McGinn of JSOnline.com reported Lacy visited the Seahawks, Packers and the Minnesota Vikings and that he weighed in at 267 pounds for one of the teams despite being listed at 234 pounds last season.

Seattle clearly wasn't put off even though Pro Football Focus gave Lacy a grade of 77.3 in its free-agency tracker, just ahead of Jacquizz Rodgers' 77.2, Terrance West's 76.5 and Mike Gillislee's 76.3.

That company doesn't scream franchise running back, although Lacy is still young and theoretically in the middle of his prime. His improved yards-per-carry totals in 2016 also provide reason for optimism for his new team, and he adds a physical presence to the backfield as someone who can convert short-yardage situations and extend plays by powering through arm tackles. 

If Lacy returns to the form he demonstrated in his first two seasons—or even in 2016 before the injury—he will be one of the marquee skill-position signings of the entire offseason.

With the Seahawks still trying to find a replacement for Marshawn Lynch, Lacy seems like a good low-risk investment. He showed promise before suffering an injury last campaign and will have another opportunity to get a long-term deal next offseason if he plays well. 

The Seahawks do need to find ways to upgrade their offensive line to help Lacy fully return to form. Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus ranked Seattle's O-line as the NFL's worst in 2016, which would help explain, at least in part, why Christine Michael and Thomas Rawls struggled to stay on the field.

Lacy's performance has been all over the place throughout his career, and he'll have some competition for a major role in Seattle. The Seahawks offense is typically running back-friendly, though, and he's going from one prominent organization to another with a chance to compete for a playoff spot.