Carolina Panthers: Roger Craig gives Christian McCaffrey high praise

The Carolina Panthers running back is getting the respect of NFL legends.

Carolina Panthers star Christian McCaffrey is a special player. According to a former star running back, he could join elite company in no time. Former San Francisco 49ers money back Roger Craig said McCaffrey could join the 1,000 rushing yard, 1,000-receiving yard club. That is certainly high praise for McCaffrey as it speaks a lot to what others think of his skill set.

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Speaking with David Newton of ESPN, Craig thinks that McCaffrey will join the club at some point in his career. I could see one of two cases happening. McCaffrey could get the bulk of touches offensively this year, especially given the production he had last year. Alternatively, the Carolina Panthers now have more wide receiving options than they did last year. This could lead to a significant decrease in touches for McCaffrey which would not necessarily be a bad thing for him in the long run.

I do not think it would be a stretch to say that he will join the club at some point in his career. No matter what the case is for this year, he will always be a player that will be relied upon to create offense, both in terms of getting carries and after-the-catch throws. In terms of what it would mean for the quarterback, the game plan really isn’t that difficult: get him the ball in space, and let him go to work. It’s a scenario that worked last year, and it’s something that I could see him doing for the rest of his career.

Coming from a legend like Roger Craig, his words certainly carry a lot of weight. It’s interesting to hear him talk about what McCaffrey could bring to the table. Personally, I agree with him. McCaffrey should be a lot of fun to watch over the next couple of seasons. As long as his workload is managed properly, he should be a force in the league over the next couple seasons.

"“He will definitely get the 1,000-1,000,” said Craig, now the vice president and director for business development at TIBCO Software in the San Francisco area. “It’s in his DNA to make that happen. He’s got the tools. He’s built for it. His day will come.”"

It would be great if McCaffrey was able to reach that plateau this year. He certainly has the skill and talent to be able to do so. He is an all-purpose back in every sense of the word, and his successful season last year makes me excited for the fall.