4 things for Panthers fans to look forward to after the bye week
By Dean Jones
The return of Christian McCaffrey
Another thing for everybody associated with the Carolina Panthers to look forward to after the bye week is the return of Christian McCaffrey. The All-Pro running back has turned out in just 3.5 games this season due to ankle and shoulder problems. But all signs point to the player taking his place in the lineup for their Week 14 game against the Denver Broncos.
McCaffrey has been sorely missed and could have been the difference-maker in close defeats of late. There is every chance having the former first-round pick in the backfield would have got them over the line at the Vikings’ last time out and he is sure to be raring to go after missing so much action in 2020.
There appears little doubt that McCaffrey will get a sizable workload when he formally gets the green light to resume.
Whether this is the smart way to go with relatively little to play for during Carolina’s final four games is up for debate. But given the fact this season is threatening to spiral on a downward curve quickly, the coaching staff will want to give their best player as much as he can handle down the stretch.
McCaffrey hadn’t missed a game before the current campaign, which is ironic considering he signed a four-year, $64 million deal with a $21 million signing bonus and $38 million guaranteed this offseason. This doesn’t detract from the need to pay him accordingly, but Carolina will want value from their incredible investment immediately.