4 ways the Panthers can address backup RB spot in 2021

Trade or Free Agency

If the Carolina Panthers opt not to look at the NFL Draft for a potential recruit, they could see what’s available during free agency. One option even includes Matt Rhule reuniting with one of his former Baylor products, which is something he’s turned to often during his time in the league so far.

The Panthers have made it known that they like players that Rhule has coached. Jamycal Hasty is one of those, and he just finished his rookie season with the San Franciso 49ers.

Hasty went undrafted in 2020 after finishing his last season at the Bears with 627 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. He went on to finish his rookie year with 148 rushing yards and a score from just 39 touches.

The 49ers got a solid option for their depth chart, but Hasty could be used even more by his former coach. This would also be a cheap option for the Panthers to target.

Furthermore, Carolina could look at even signing another player in free agency if they can afford them. Some names to look out for include Carlos Hyde, Matt Breida, Jerick McKinnon, and Kalen Ballage.

The Panthers are set to start free agency with a projected amount of cap space of $7.98 million. However, this could change depending on what moves they make, meaning they could target an even more notable running back to backup Christian McCaffrey.