Coming into this year's free agency and draft cycle, the only position that seemed to require the least work on the Carolina Panthers was running back. After all, conventional wisdom holds that running backs are the most valuable in football, and he is one of the last positions that can be most easily replaced. At first glance, this is a somewhat strange statement, considering that a running back can have a huge impact on a game, with on average he carries the ball about 25 times per game.
But in the modern NFL, running backs are rarely drafted in the first round, and there's a reason why even the best players in the league can't sign long-term second contracts.
Coming off a disastrous 2023 season for the Panthers, the running back room looked to be in decent shape. Tuba Hubbard was coming off a strong three-season run in which he gained 1,135 scrimmage yards and 3.8 yards per carry against a poor offensive line, but was rated the 16th best running back in the NFL by PFF. Ta. Chuba is a talented back.
Miles Sanders' first season in Carolina was very disappointing, but there is at least some hope that a new coaching staff and improved offensive line can get him back on track.
There are rumors that the Panthers are looking to acquire a late pick in a trade for Miles Sanders. That's not wise. Sanders has a cap hit of $7.7 million in 2024, but the Panthers would incur $10.4 million in dead cap money to trade him. Carolina would be better off keeping Sanders and seeing what he can do with a much improved situation around him. His potential upside is absolutely worth it.
Despite the presence of Hubbard and Sanders on the Panthers' roster and clear needs at wide receiver, tight end, and just about every defensive position unit, Panthers GM Dan Morgan spent the offseason looking to strengthen running backs. spent on.
So is Morgan hell-bent on adding more bodies to the running back room? Or is he as crazy as a fox?
New additions to the Panthers
Let's take a quick look at the Panthers' two new acquisitions.
Jonathan Brooks
Carolina invested the 46th pick in this year's draft on Texas running back Jonathan Brooks. Jonathan Brooks is an absolute runner who is also recovering from a torn ACL. He was the first running back selected in this year's draft. The decision to invest in a running back early in the draft surprised some and baffled others (count me among the baffled).
Look, I want Jonathan Brooks to be in the Hall of Fame. He's a Panther, so he's now one of “my guys.” But Carolina should have addressed other more important positions midway through the second round. It will be interesting to see how many touches he can get in his rookie season as he returns from injury and competes for playing time with veterans.
But in the end, the Panthers acquired a player who dominated the Big 12 last year with 1,425 scrimmage yards in 11 games. He's obviously talented and has a lot of upside.
Rashard Penny
Talk about a bizarre NFL career. Over six NFL seasons, Penny appeared in 45 games, starting 11 of them. He carried the ball 348 times and gained 1,951 yards. That's an insane 5.6 yards per carry. He led the NFL with 6.3 yards per attempt in 2021. When he was healthy and involved, he was a difference maker, albeit in a limited amount.
Penny appeared in just 15 games in 2021-2022, posting impressive game numbers: 190 yards (23 attempts), 170 yards (25 attempts), 151 yards (17 attempts), 137 yards. yards (16 attempts), 135 yards (17 attempts), 129 yards (14 attempts).
After breakout seasons with the Seattle Seahawks in 2021 and 2022, he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles last year. However, he failed to gain any reps, gaining just 33 yards on 11 carries and was a healthy scratch for most of the year.
As mentioned previously on CSR, Penny knows Panthers coach Dave Canales from their time together in Seattle. Penny should be able to get a job right away (just kidding). Details of his contract are still unknown, as he likely won't sign with the Panthers until after rookie minicamp, but it should be affordable.
Is it worth stocking up on running backs?
Given the Panthers' current situation, Dan Morgan made a smart move to strengthen the running back room. It's against today's NFL policy to overfill the running back room, but the Panthers are not in a situation like most of the league today.
The Panthers won't be a Super Bowl contender this year. Success will essentially come down to whether quarterback Bryce Young becomes a competent enough signal-caller. The biggest help for the young quarterback is having a solid running game behind him. The Panthers' investment in their offensive line this offseason and the additions of Brooks and Penny should help with that.
Rookies usually take time to adjust to the NFL, so he will have to be patient with Brooks. Penny has proven to be explosive as a role player with the right down and distance. Hubbard and Sanders could compete for RB1. And depth is a must because running backs are injury prone.
Adding running backs is not common in today's NFL.
But it might work out for the 2024 Carolina Panthers.