Panthers sign ex-Eagles RB Rashaad Penny
After drafting Texas RB Jonathan Brooks, the Panthers will sign Penny as he joins a four-man deep rushing room.
CHARLOTTE — The Carolina Panthers recently signed Philadelphia Eagles running Rashaad Penny. His contract length and wage are currently unknown.
Penny, a San Diego State stand-out, was selected by the Seahawks in the 2018 draft with the 27th overall pick. However, despite positive collegiate performance and optimistic scouts from NFL execs, Penny found it hard to get snaps and find momentum amid an injury-filled stint.
Despite some promising opening seasons, a torn ACL in his sophomore season kept him out for most of 2020, and a calf injury heavily reduced his game time. Although the Seahawks recognized Penny’s potential, he suffered a broken fibula after inking a one-year extension with Seattle.
Penny signed with Philadelphia last season, competing with D’Andre Swift and Kenneth Gainwell. He played in just three games, getting eleven carries for 33 yards.
Penny will likely sign a one-year deal with Carolina.
Penny, at his best, is an explosive runner who can accelerate easily and boasts impressive athleticism. He’s a big (5’10, 224 pounds) with agility and quality hands. He boasts a lifetime of 5.6 yards per attempt and looks genuinely unstoppable when he gets on the loose.
Penny joins former Seattle coaches Dave Canales and Brad Idzik for a second stint together.
The Spin
As it stands, Carolina has a lot of running backs — maybe too many. After drafting promising Texas running back Jonathan Brooks and adding vet Penny, the Panthers have Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, and Raheem Blackshear. Mike Boone, Spencer Brown, and former Chicago stand-out Tarik Cohen are also on wage.
At first glance, the move looks complicated — solid on some ends and questionable on some. Penny’s stint in Seattle will enable Canales and his coaching crew to run the flexible offense he’s raved about since his time with the Seahawks. Introducing Penny gives the team some experience with that style of play and a veteran who can explain the schemes and lead the running backs in the locker room.
It’s also important not to close the door on Penny getting some significant snaps in. Brooks is still tending to an ACL injury suffered mid-way through the college season, and there have been countless rumors linking Sanders with a trade. Penny’s been excellent when healthy — if he can avoid any injuries, we could see him take a secondary back role if things go his way.
However, it doesn't look like Penny will see a huge role in Carolina. Brooks should be fully healthy in time for training camp in July, while Hubbard will gobble up most of the minutes. It’s also uncertain whether Carolina will trade off Sanders — $18.4 million still balances on his contract, and Panthers GM Dan Morgan told reporters he saw immense value in fielding Sanders.
The Prediction
Don’t expect much out of Penny this year in Carolina. Although he’ll see some snaps on special teams and as a potential secondary or a third-string running back, the Panthers’ hierarchy is already completely set. Chuba Hubbard should see the majority of snaps as rushing, and they will rush a lot.
He’ll be aided by one of Brooks, currently injured, or Sanders, coming off career lows across the board and trade rumors. If Penny somehow beats one or both of them in training camp, he could see some involvement, but nowhere near the usage of a Pro Bowl running back.
Canales’ offensive plan is to run as much as he can and use the passing game as an often-used substitute when the run game doesn’t work. Penny could likely see some more snaps with this run-first approach, but with his injury history and the presence of other backs, I wouldn’t count on Penny having a lot of time in the spotlight.
As for roster movements, Sanders’ probability of leaving Carolina skyrockets with the move. Underperforming and angry, the only thing stopping Carolina from trading him was depth, financial wiggle room, and a feasible package. They’ve found an answer to one with the signing of Penny, and the other two won’t be hard to come by.