Chris Carson's Knee Injury Diagnosed as 1st-Degree Sprain by Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson suffered a first-degree knee sprain Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys and could be ready for next week's game against the Miami Dolphins.

Head coach Pete Carroll confirmed the severity of the injury Monday on 710 ESPN Seattle (h/t ESPN's Adam Schefter). He said Carson could return soon but added that the Seahawks "just have to see how that goes." Tom Pelissero of NFL Network previously reported Carson had a "chance" to play Sunday against the Dolphins.

Schefter reported the injury is considered one that takes one to two weeks to recover from, but Seattle "wants to see how he feels and recovers this week."

Carson was removed from Sunday's win over Dallas after suffering the knee injury in the fourth quarter, but an MRI confirmed his ligaments are intact, per Pelissero. He was injured on a tackle by Trysten Hill, who held on to the running back's leg as he rolled over while making the tackle.

Carroll said he was "really pissed" about the tackle that injured Carson.

The 26-year-old has been relatively durable since he became a primary playmaker for the Seahawks, appearing in 14 games in 2018 and 15 games in 2019.

However, Carson suffered a hip injury in a Week 16 loss to the Arizona Cardinals last season and missed the remainder of the campaign and the playoffs.

When healthy, the Oklahoma State product is a critical cog in the offense. He ran for 1,151 yards and nine touchdowns in 2018 and 1,230 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019. He also became more of a factor in the aerial attack last year with 37 catches for 266 yards and two touchdowns, which were all career-high marks.

Carson has followed up with 157 rushing yards and 93 receiving yards in three games in 2020 with three total touchdowns.

While it is unrealistic to expect the offense to operate at the same level without him, Seattle is better equipped than most to deal with an injury to a star running back.

Russell Wilson is on the short list of the best quarterbacks in the league and can keep the offense running smoothly with his arm and legs. Veteran Carlos Hyde ran for 1,070 yards on the Houston Texans last year, and Travis Homer adds depth in the backfield.

Still, the Seahawks are more of a Super Bowl threat if Carson is healthy and on the field alongside Wilson.