3 ambitious goals for Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey in 2020
By Dean Jones
100+ receptions for a third straight year
The threat posed by Christian McCaffrey in the running game is there for all to see. He is a premier presence on short to intermediate routes. And this only adds to his overall influence on the field.
McCaffrey secured a career-high in receptions with 116 last season. This placed him at joint-18th on the all-time list. And it was the second consecutive campaign that the player had achieved more than 100 receptions in a single season.
This sort of output in the passing game from a running back is something every coach dreams of. For all the Carolina Panthers’ faults in 2019, they did put McCaffrey in the best possible position to him to put together such an exceptional season of production.
This is a trend that is sure to continue next time around. Panthers’ offensive coordinator Joe Brady is one of the brightest young minds in the business. And he arrives in the NFL having masterminded LSU’s historic passing attack on their way to a National Championship.
Having McCaffrey to lean on is going to aid Brady greatly. And so much elite speed at the wide receiver position is something that leaves the back with a realistic goal of securing 100-plus receptions once again.
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D.J. Moore, Robby Anderson, Curtis Samuel, and Seth Roberts can all take the top off a defense at any given moment. Opposing teams will need to take account of this. And it should allow McCaffrey more space to work underneath on quick throws that catch the opposition off guard.
The possibilities are endless regarding Carolina’s offense in 2020. And McCaffrey might be the primary beneficiary of some substantial offseason upgrades.