No offense was more putrid than the Carolina Panthers last season. They finished last in yards (265.3 per game), last in points (13.9), and last in passing (161.2). The lone bright spot, if you can call it that, was the running game, which ranked 20th in yards per game (104.1) and tied for 21st in yards per carry (4.0), though they were one of three clubs to rush for a league-low seven touchdowns.
Part of the problem was that running back Miles Sanders, who signed a four-year, $25 million deal, to come over from the Philadelphia Eagles, struggled mightily and lost his starting job to Chuba Hubbard, which is not what the team had in mind. Rather than dip back into free agency to try and upgrade the backfield, Carolina instead traded up in the second round to select Jonathon Brooks, the first running back taken in this year’s draft.
Development from quarterback Bryce Young will help loosen things up for the backs, and reports from Panthers camp have been positive on that front. While we’ll have to wait and see how the offense looks in Week 1, let’s check out Carolina’s options at running back.