Christian McCaffrey is injured. Here’s who Panthers will replace him with vs. Chargers
Christian McCaffrey will be out for ‘multiple weeks,’ because of the ankle injury he suffered in Sunday’s game against the Buccaneers, leaving the Panthers with a huge void to fill. So who will they turn to?
The Panthers only have one real option on the roster to replace him.
Mike Davis.
The Panthers, who claimed Davis off waivers from the Chicago Bears last November, list only three running backs on their depth chart. Davis, a sixth-year veteran, is listed as second ahead of Trenton Cannon, who primarily plays special teams.
Davis won the backup running back job over incumbent Reggie Bonnafon after an impressive training camp this offseason.
Panthers coach Matt Rhule said Davis had one of the best camps of any player on the team, and when asked about him Sunday, the first-year coach reiterated that he thought Davis is a good player.
In his six NFL seasons, Davis has started in 10 games. His most productive season was in 2018, when he played for the Seattle Seahawks. That year, he played in 15 games, started two and rushed for 514 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught 34 passes for 214 yards and a touchdown.
McCaffrey, who has never missed a game in his career, injured his ankle in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Bucs. Rhule said the injury occurred two plays before McCaffrey’s 7-yard touchdown run around the 13:25 mark, cutting Carolina’s deficit to 21-14. After scoring the touchdown, he came up hobbling.
Trainers taped his ankle, he did not return and the Panthers lost, 31-17. ESPN reported Monday morning that McCaffrey is expected to miss ‘multiple weeks’ with his injury.
NFL Network later reported McCaffrey will be out ’four to six weeks’ with a high ankle sprain. If that holds true, that means McCaffrey could return as soon as Week 6, when the Panthers host the Chicago Bears, or as late as Week 8 when they host the Atlanta Falcons.
“I hate it for him,” Rhule said Monday. “No one wants to be out there and play more than Christian does. But everything happens for a reason. I’m sure he’s rehabbing right now. I talked to him earlier today, and I know he’ll get back as soon as he can.”
Davis replaced him Sunday, and while he only had one carry for one yard, he also had eight catches for 74 yards. His eight catches were tied with D.J. Moore for second-most on the team, and trailed only Robby Anderson’s nine receptions.
“I thought he caught the ball, and turned up and made some good plays,” Rhule said. “It looked like he blocked well at times, missed one on the one sack, but he was a threat coming out of the backfield.”
Davis, 5-foot-9, 219 pounds, is quick and powerful. But because of McCaffrey’s high usage rate — he played in 97% of the team’s offensive snaps in Week 1 — and his versatility, Davis hadn’t seen much playing time.
When asked Sunday how he thinks he can contribute if McCaffrey is out, Davis said he’s just here to do his job and whatever the coaches ask him to do.
“I’m not looking to go out there and try to do anything crazy,” Davis said. “Just go out there and run the offense, and whatever they need me to do, I’m going to do it.”
In order for the Panthers’ offense to have success, though, it must have a good running game. And the running back must also be a threat in the passing game. That’s what McCaffrey brings as an All-Pro player. He was the third running back in NFL history to catch for 1,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in the same season (2019).
While it’s impossible to replicate McCaffrey’s production, Davis, as evidenced by his game Sunday, is a threat in the passing game. However, he had only one rush for one yard Sunday. Part of that was because the Panthers were playing from behind in the fourth quarter. But Davis has also only rushed for 100 or more yards in game once in his career.
On Sept. 30, 2018, he rushed for 101 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns and caught four passes for 23 yards to help the Seahawks defeat the Cardinals, 20-17.
“He’s going to do great. I already know it,” McCaffrey said of Davis Monday. “He can do everything. He can run, can catch, can block, he can run through people, he can make people miss...I look at practicing with him this year, and practicing with him last year and he’s only gotten better.”
Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater echoed McCaffrey’s sentiments.
“We have high expectations for Mike,” Bridgewater said. “Mike is a guy who has done some great things around here throughout training camp...And you watch him Sunday, running the ball, catching the ball out of the backfield, you get a glimpse of what Mike Davis can do.”
Because McCaffrey will miss next week’s game at the LA Chargers, the Panthers would likely bring Bonnafon off the practice squad to serve as a backup. He would likely rotate carries with Davis.
Bonnafon was one of four players the Panthers have protected on the practice squad to prevent opposing teams from signing him. Last season, he rushed for 116 yards on 16 carries, which included a 59-yard rushing touchdown in a Week 5 win against Jacksonville.
“Whoever number we call, we’re going to expect those guys to step in and make some plays for us,” Bridgewater said.
This story was originally published September 20, 2020 at 7:42 PM with the headline "Christian McCaffrey is injured. Here’s who Panthers will replace him with vs. Chargers."
