Carolina Panthers: Is McCaffrey’s deal good news for NFL running backs?
By Dean Jones
Christian McCaffrey’s bumper new deal with the Carolina Panthers could be good news for other NFL running backs looking to get paid.
The Carolina Panthers made a massive commitment to their star running back Christian McCaffrey in the form of a bumper new four-year extension.
His All-Pro 2019 season during the penultimate year of his contract earned the player a reported $16 million annual salary, according to ESPN Insider Adam Schefter. This ties McCaffrey to the Panthers until 2025 and ensures he becomes the new face of the franchise.
Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey is signing a four-year extension, averaging $16 million per year, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 13, 2020
There is no doubting McCaffrey is worthy of such a deal given the way he has performed since being selected with the eighth overall pick by the Panthers in 2017. What is more surprising was Carolina’s willingness to make him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.
Teams have been reluctant to commit big contracts to their running backs in recent years. This stems from Todd Gurley’s failure to live up to expectations following his new deal with the Los Angeles Rams.
The jury is still out on Ezekiel Elliott’s contribution after a down year with the Dallas Cowboys following his $90 million deal. Whether McCaffrey’s contract is going to be the catalyst behind a turnaround in thinking at the position remains to be seen.
McCaffrey is the first domino to fall among those at the position looking to receive top dollar. Now others have a benchmark for which to enter contract discussions, there could be more activity in the not-too-distant future.
By the time this offseason is over, plenty of running backs around the NFL could be thanking McCaffrey.