5 Carolina Panthers that must play more down the stretch in 2021
By Dean Jones
Spencer Brown – Carolina Panthers RB
The chances of this are slim at best. But getting Spencer Brown some experience on the active roster might be something for the Carolina Panthers to consider at some stage.
The running back made a name for himself with a starring effort in training camp – drawing significant praise from Christian McCaffrey – but even though he featured during the preseason, it wasn’t enough to secure a place on the team.
Brown was brought back onto the practice squad and has been there for a large part of the campaign. McCaffrey going on season-ending injured/reserve means it’s now a back-by-committee approach, with Chuba Hubbard and Ameer Abdullah commanding the touches in Week 14 with mixed success.
Carolina also has Reggie Bonnafon as a potential call-up if needed. But the coaching staff doesn’t fancy him as much as they say given his lack of involvement under Matt Rhule so far.
The undrafted player could be a wildcard and is known for thriving in short-yardage situations. Bringing him into the mix isn’t the worst idea in the world and would give the Panthers more knowledge about Brown’s character and ability to handle the big occasion.