4 replacements if Panthers lose Christian McCaffrey to injury
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers Option No. 2: Sign Devonta Freeman
Another avenue the Carolina Panthers could go down if they lost Christian McCaffrey would be to bring in a veteran free agent. There are plenty of enticing options remaining on the market. And this has the potential to be a stop-gap until the organization gets their star back on the field.
One of the more prominent options on the proverbial free-agent scrapheap is Devonta Freeman. The player is no stranger to Carolina having turned out for the Atlanta Falcons over his six-year career. And he still has plenty to offer despite the player and franchise going their separate ways following their decision to sign Todd Gurley.
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Freeman is a dual-threat weapon for the Panthers to potentially utilize. While his explosiveness has waned over the years. There is nothing to suggest he doesn’t have a couple more years of good production left.
He is coming off a season where he gained 656 rushing yards and two touchdowns from 184 carries. Freeman also hauled in 59 receptions from 70 targets on his way to 410 yards and four scores.
This is something that would be extremely beneficial for the Panthers if McCaffrey ended up missing significant time. And the back appears to be a nice fit in offensive coordinator Joe Brady’s dynamic scheme.
There is a lot to like about acquiring Freeman in this scenario. And although replacing what McCaffrey brings would be virtually impossible, the former Florida State standout is a solid short-term alternative.
Whether the Panthers would want to give Freeman the sort of money he is reportedly demanding in preference to giving one of their current roster members an opportunity is up for debate.