Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said the running back situation is more heated than he'd expected and credited Quinton Ganther with adding to that battle.
Ganther, signed as a free agent over the offseason, is playing both tailback and fullback and clearly is in the mix of a competition that will play out through the preseason.
"There's no rush," Carroll said. "I don't care which way it goes and I don't care when we figure it out, I think we have some guys that are really battling. I think probably the best surprise is how competitive Ganther has been.
"He's really been in the midst of it and the fact that he's playing fullback as well for us and can double up and give us some hard-nosed running at the tailback spot is really a plus for what the group offers. It's been a group I've been very pleased with so far and I think the competition is only going to heat up at this point."
Ganther was a sought after free agent late in 2009, as he became Washington's primary back, but he didn't look particularly impressive. His best-case scenario in Seattle would be as a short-yardage touchdown threat, as Justin Forsett and Leon Washington aren't ideal inside runners. However, the Seahawks also have Julius Jones, and while Jones is clearly nothing special, it's hard to see Ganther cracking the rotation.