4 bold predictions over Carolina Panthers 2024 training camp
By Dean Jones
Rashaad Penny makes the Carolina Panthers' roster
The Carolina Panthers are looking to run the football effectively under new head coach Dave Canales. He wants this to set the tone offensively, which will make things easier for second-year quarterback Bryce Young. Dan Morgan gave him a helping hand to put these ambitious plans into action during his first recruitment period at the helm.
Carolina had underperforming veteran Miles Sanders and the ever-improving Chuba Hubbard to carry the load. That didn't stop the Panthers from solidifying their running back options - something that should keep everyone on their toes heading into camp.
Raheem Blackshear is back after re-signing on a one-year deal. The Panthers' boldest move saw them trade up to No. 46 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft for Jonathon Brooks. He'll start camp on the active/non-football injury list following a torn ACL suffered at Texas in 2023, but he's got the credentials to be a genuine three-down threat for Young to lean on long-term.
One signing that went relatively overlooked comes into the Panthers with a previous connection to Dave Canales. The Panthers signed Rashaad Penny soon after the draft concluded. He's missed a lot of time through injury in recent seasons, but the veteran brings a physical running style that most in Carolina's unit cannot.
Penny knows Canales well from their time together on the Seattle Seahawks. It's been a long time since he rushed for 749 yards and six touchdowns in 2021. Getting back to this sort of form and staying clear of injury complications is the only way the former first-round pick will make the 53-man roster.
He might seem like an outsider right now, but things can change quickly. Penny could be fresher than most anticipate after barely featuring over the last two years. He's already familiar with the schematic demands and thrives as a pass blocker out of the backfield. That's a solid foundation to enter consideration.
Maximizing every touch and displaying the right leadership qualities will help enormously. Much will depend on Brooks' health and Sanders' future, but a situation could emerge where Penny makes the team.