There’s no reason Christian McCaffrey should play again in 2020
By Dean Jones
The impact of Christian McCaffrey’s absence
There is no denying Christian McCaffrey has been sorely missed by the Carolina Panthers. Mike Davis had a nice honeymoon period as the primary running back but his influence has waned with every passing week.
One only has to look at how McCaffery has performed on the field in the 2.5 games he’s been available this season. The former first-round pick has 374 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns during this span, which make it even more imperative for the Panthers to take him out of the firing line even if the player is ready to go between now and the season’s conclusion.
They can get along without him. But probably won’t achieve much in the way of wins.
Even if McCaffrey was in the lineup, it is extremely unlikely the Panthers can turn a season that has gone downhill quickly around enough to get themselves back in contention.
McCaffrey’s competitive edge will make it difficult to sit the back. But the fact of the matter is senior decision-makers need to save the player from himself, to a certain extent.
Everyone needs to be realistic. The risk of McCaffrey playing again this season far outweighs the reward and getting him some lengthy rest to recover from his ailments, which is the best solution for all parties.