5 players the Carolina Panthers can’t lose to injury in 2020
By Dean Jones
player. Scouting Report. RUNNING BACK. CAROLINA PANTHERS. CHRISTIANMCCAFFREY. 2. 87. Pick Analysis
Carolina Panthers: Player No. 2 – Christian McCaffrey (RB)
There is little disputing just how indispensable Christian McCaffrey has become to the Carolina Panthers. He has become the best dual-threat running back in the league and was given the long-term extension to match his production this offseason.
The former first-round pick out of Stanford penned a four-year, $64 million contract with the Panthers. This also included a $21 million signing bonus and a little more than $38 million guaranteed. McCaffrey is now the face of the franchise and Carolina’s success will largely come through him going forward.
This becomes especially evident when one considers how many changes have been made on offense ahead of the new season. The Panthers brought in a new coordinator in Joe Brady, a free-agent signing under center in Teddy Bridgewater, and as many as three offensive linemen with a view to starting.
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It is going to take some time to familiarise themselves with one another. And that makes McCaffrey’s role even more significant. He will be tasked with taking the pressure off during the early stages of their transition. But if the All-Pro suffers an injury than it would be nothing short of catastrophic for the Panthers’ overall fortunes.
Running back importance might be something that is played down in today’s NFL. But this does not apply to the Panthers. While McCaffrey should not get the 400-plus touches he accumulated in 2019. He is still expected to lead from the front.