Panthers Keeping Christian McCaffrey At RB

When healthy, Christian McCaffrey has proven himself to be one of the most productive players in the league. Staying on the field has been an issue during the past two seasons, though, leading some to think that he would be better suited to line up as a slot receiver more frequently. McCaffrey himself has rebuffed such suggestions; head coach Matt Rhule recently did the same. 

[RELATED: Panthers Rework McCaffrey’s Contract]

As detailed by ESPN’s David Newton, Rhule confirmed that the team plans to keep the 25-year-old in his familiar running back spot, in spite of the workload he has shouldered and the injuries he has dealt with in recent years. McCaffrey has received 1,138 touches in his five seasons in the NFL – an average of 228 per season. With a full season in 2020 and 2021, those figures would have been significantly higher.

“We can always move him around and utilize him, but at the end of the day, he’s a back”, Rhule said. “You can do a lot of things with Christian, but to take him out of the backfield, to me, is taking him out of what he does best. We’ll keep him at tailback.”

The Panthers leaned heavily on rookie Chuba Hubbard in McCaffrey’s absence last season, and signed former Titan D’Onta Foreman in free agency. If healthy, though, the former All-Pro will of course take over as the starter again. Newton notes that new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo could use more two-RB formations, lending itself to McCaffrey being put in motion and/or the slot – something which he has very rarely done, despite his abilities as a pass-catcher.

Regardless of McAdoo’s scheme, or whom the Panthers’ QB will be in 2022, the team will carry on with the focal point of their offense in essentially the same way as they have for the rest of his career to date.

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