4 early free agents the Carolina Panthers should monitor in 2023

Carolina Panthers should monitor Devin Singletary

Trading Christian McCaffrey to the San Francisco 49ers was a controversial move that divided the fanbase. His influence and production since joining the Carolina Panthers brought plaudits aplenty, but general manager Scott Fitterer felt there was no better time to maximize the running back’s value shortly after Matt Rhule was fired.

Carolina got an impressive haul for McCaffrey, who now has a legitimate Super Bowl chance on a leading NFC challenger. D’Onta Foreman has carried the load impressively in the All-Pro’s absence, but the Panthers might need to look elsewhere if an extension cannot be agreed upon.

Again, examining a deep-looking group of running backs emerging from the college ranks would be the cheapest option. However, there are plenty of established stars with proven production set to enter free agency in 2023.

Devin Singletary is one of the more intriguing thanks to his dual-threat ability out of the backfield. The Buffalo Bills reportedly shopped the former third-round selection before the trade deadline, so it remains to be seen whether they’ll keep him around given the presence of James Cook and Nyheim Hines on the depth chart.

With 601 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns this season, Singletary would be a great addition to Carolina’s offense and a nice compliment to Foreman. But overpaying for a running back is not an option in their current state.