Should the Panthers Consider Shutting Down Christian McCaffrey?
The Carolina Panthers are expected to be without starting running back Christian McCaffrey again this Sunday vs the Detroit Lions as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury that he suffered in the team's loss to Kansas City two weeks ago.
McCaffrey missed six games earlier in the year when he went down with a high ankle sprain in week two vs Tampa Bay. He returned vs the Chiefs and went for 151 total yards of offense and two touchdowns, but exited the game on the final drive and has not returned since.
With the Panthers heading into week 11 with a 3-7 record and an absolute long shot to make the playoffs, it might be time to consider sidelining McCaffrey for the remainder of the season. This would keep McCaffrey from further injuring his shoulder or possibly even re-injure his ankle, and gives him a full offseason and then some to get back to full strength for the 2021 season.
Last April, the Panthers reached an agreement with their star back, extending him to a four-year, $64 million deal. NFL GM's are typically not willing to spend a huge chunk of cash on a running back due to their life expectancy in the NFL being the shortest of any position. Running backs take such a beating that it's very rare to see guys at the position make it to ten plus years in the league. McCaffrey, however, is a different breed. He takes really good care of his body and offers more to an offense than your ordinary running back. He's just as dynamic in the passing game as he is in the running game, which makes him one of the most difficult playmakers to defend in the NFL.
Although it may make sense to protect your most valuable asset, Panthers head coach Matt Rhule says that he and the front office have not had any discussions about shutting him down and last week he said, "I would anticipate him on returning this season."
In a recent poll that we conducted on Twitter, 55% of Panthers' fans say that the team should sit him out the remainder of the season and get him ready for the 2021 season. Although the organization hasn't had those conversations yet, I'd be willing to bet that it's something that will come up within the next week or so, especially if Carolina falls to 3-8 after this week's game vs Detroit.
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