Panthers’ Christian McCaffrey eligible to come off IR next week, but there should be no rush
For a lot of reasons, Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey’s injury wasn’t the end of the world.
While it’s never ideal to have a star running back miss time or go through the recovery process of an injury, McCaffrey sitting out some games gave the offense the opportunity to continue to develop without him and for the team to get a look at some of the players behind him.
Backup Mike Davis has more than proven he deserves the role behind the All-Pro. Practice squad back Reggie Bonnafon even shined in limited opportunities, gaining 69 yards on 12 rushes and catching two passes for 18 yards and a receiving touchdown in the last two games, before being placed on practice squad injured reserve with a high ankle sprain of his own.
After the team’s game in Atlanta, McCaffrey will be eligible to come off injured reserve or at minimum could be designated to return, meaning he has three weeks to practice with the team before he has to be added back to the roster officially. The Panthers are in need of some help at running back with only two — Davis and Trenton Cannon — on the active roster, while fullback Alex Armah and wide receiver Curtis Samuel can pitch in.
High ankle sprains typically take four to six weeks to recover from, depending on the severity. Of course, McCaffrey said after his injury that he viewed that timeline as a challenge.
“They say four to six weeks, well that’s a challenge to me, “ McCaffrey said. “Hopefully, I can get back a lot earlier than that, but I’m gonna attack this just like I attack anything else and go from there.”
Davis isn’t McCaffrey. No one can replace what McCaffrey is capable of doing on the field. When he returns, he will make the entire Panthers offense better.
And all of the fans — and fantasy football participants — will want McCaffrey to return as soon as he can. He wants to get back as well. But there is no reason to rush his return. He should only return to the field when he is 100% healthy.
As expected, there is more to gain from waiting on his return rather than pushing it. And a quick return shouldn’t be expected.
That doesn’t mean he is replaceable or paying the running back position is a mistake. But this offense has had success without him. Davis has rushed for 130 yards on 29 carries (an average of 4.5) and has caught 13 passes for 72 yards. He has a rushing and a receiving touchdown. They have won two games and shown progress and improvement. Last week, the Panthers had a season-high 168 rushing yards and tied for the third-most first downs in a game in franchise history (30).
The Panthers have been competitive in each game they’ve played in over the first quarter of the season. Even if this team keeps coming away with the wins — they have an opportunity with games against the Falcons and Bears up next — there is no need for McCaffrey to come back until he is completely ready.
This is still about the long term, even if the Panthers are winning games and staying competitive in the NFC South in 2020. The Panthers gave McCaffrey a four-year, $64 million extension this offseason that made him the highest paid running back in NFL history. His peers from his draft class also received extensions in the months that followed, but none matched his in terms of average per year. The team has heavily invested in this player. His all-around health will and should be the priority.
Head coach Matt Rhule is building a culture and setting up the team in a manner that he believes. McCaffrey is going to be part of that for a long time.
“I think Christian McCaffrey is a centerpiece player you can build a team around. ... And I think he really builds for the culture that you want to have within the building,” Rhule said after McCaffrey signed his extension. “We want to be a serious football place, we want to be a place that it’s all about the game, and I think that’s who Christian McCaffrey is.”
Everyone wants the running back on the field. It makes this team that much more exciting. But when it’s right.
This story was originally published October 10, 2020 at 11:00 AM.
