Carolina Panthers: Is McCaffrey’s deal good news for NFL running backs?

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.

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.

Why did the Panthers’ buck the trend?

The Carolina Panthers had little option other than to give their premier offensive weapon a lucrative multi-year extension. This is a team that has undergone significant changes during the offseason and keeping Christian McCaffrey around was pivotal to their chances of remaining competitive.

McCaffrey is not your average running back. He is the best dual-threat player in the NFL and is coming off an exceptional year from a statistical perspective.

He managed to achieve 1,387 rushing yards, 1,005 receiving yards, 116 receptions, and 19 total touchdowns during a glittering campaign for the former Stanford prospect. This was enough to earn him an All-Pro selection and a $64 million deal.

Letting McCaffrey see out the final year of his deal would have put the Panthers in a difficult spot. They are already without the services of Luke Kuechly and Cam Newton heading into 2020 and having their star player facing an uncertain future would have been hugely detrimental to their chances of success.

Running backs are only one big hit from suffering an injury that will make this contract look foolish. However, McCaffrey is not your typical downhill runner and has been very durable during his NFL career so far.

He has not missed a regular-season game in his three seasons with the franchise. This reliability was sure to be another vital component in McCaffrey getting historical money from the Panthers.

What does McCaffrey’s new deal mean?

Christian McCaffrey now has the financial security that such a productive player deserves. He is now unquestionably the face of the franchise and someone they can build their offense around for the foreseeable future.

Having the player around long-term is going to wonders for head coach Matt Rhule and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Both are new to the organization and are sure to lean on their All-Pro running back heavily during the early stages of the season.

The contract is also good news for Carolina Panthers’ fans, who are increasingly concerned about the team’s overall fortunes in a highly competitive NFC South next season. Although it is still going to be a struggle, they will at least get plenty of memorable highlights from McCaffrey in 2020 and beyond.

It also represents a problem for other NFL teams with their running backs. Plenty of established players are either playing on the franchise tag or heading into the final year of their respective deals. This contract extension has no doubt made them sit up and take notice as they search for a similar financial commitment.

The gauntlet has been laid down by the Panthers for any upcoming new contracts. McCaffrey is arguably the best performer out of anyone at the position in the regular season and it was only right that he led the way to set a benchmark.

One would expect an increased sense of urgency from other teams in the coming weeks as they look to avoid further complications down the line.

What running backs are looking for new deals?

The list of NFL running backs seeking new deals is long and illustrious. A wealth of starters are either set to play on the franchise tag or head into the final year of their rookie deals in 2020.

Derrick Henry carried the Tennessee Titans into the playoffs last season. But the organization has yet to agree terms with the powerful back after placing the tag on him to avoid the player leaving in free agency.

The same situation currently impacts Kenyan Drake of the Arizona Cardinals. The talented back performed well for the franchise last season after he was traded by the Miami Dolphins. However, it doesn’t appear that they are willing to give the player a long-term commitment at this time.

Minnesota Vikings’ standout Dalvin Cook is another that wants more money this offseason. There could be reluctance from the franchise to give the player what he wants due to his injury history. But his 2019 campaign was hugely productive and puts the player in a strong position heading into contract talks.,

It will also be interesting to see what the NFC South rival New Orleans Saints do with Alvin Kamara. He became the undisputed leader of the backfield when Mark Ingram signed a deal with the Baltimore Ravens and is a dual-threat weapon when at the top of his game.

Aaron Jones of the Green Bay Packers enjoyed a career year last season and is also a candidate for more money, with the likes of Phillip Lindsay, Chris Carson, Marlon Mack, Kareem Hunt, James Conner, and Joe Mixon also seeking more security in 2020.

Does McCaffrey’s new deal help them?

Christian McCaffrey’s new deal with the Carolina Panthers could have huge ramifications for other players at the running back position who are seeking new contracts.

It gives them a benchmark to enter negotiations based on their production in relation to McCaffrey’s. And although they might not have the resume he possesses from a statistical perspective, they will argue ‘if he is getting paid, why can’t I?’.

This leaves NFL teams in a real predicament. There is the prospect of holdouts for any unhappy running backs who do not want to play into the final years of their deals. We saw this last summer with Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot before he signed a six-year, $90 million contract that included a $7.5 million signing bonus and $50 million guaranteed.

One would think there was relative dismay from NFL owners upon hearing of McCaffrey’s new deal. Running back is one of the most brutal positions on the field and this has been reflected with their unwillingness to part with valuable salary-cap space when the prospect of injury is considerably high.

This is just the way things are in the NFL in the present day. What McCaffrey’s extension has done is at least give those in a similar situation a realistic chance of getting their payday if their production warrants it.

The free-agent class of 2021 is stacked with running backs that were at the top of their game last season. Teams might now have no option other than to follow in the Carolina Panthers’ footsteps.