Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey likely to be held out of preseason games

It’s been all downhill for Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey since his spectacular 2019 campaign. So now, he and the team are desperately trying to stop the tumble.

Their hopes for a healthier 2022 could see the star rusher sit out this summer’s preseason action entirely—an approach the Panthers took last year. And according to head coach Matt Rhule, he’s willing to do it again.

“I would hold him out of all the preseason games again,” he said following Tuesday’s voluntary OTAs. “I think he’s had enough hits on his body. But I think, just as we move forward, we’re gonna have a little bit of a different strategy practice-wise with him.”

McCaffrey, who became the third player in NFL history to amass a single season of at least 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in 2019, accounted for 43 percent of Carolina’s offensive yardage—the highest share of all-time. The then 23-year-old rushed for 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns while reeling in 116 catches for 1,005 yards and four more scores.

Since, the $64 million man has played in just 10 of a possible 33 games between 2020 and 2021 due to a handful of various injuries. Over that time, he’s totaled 667 yards on the ground and 492 yards through the air with eight total touchdowns.

McCaffrey, however, remains focused on paying attention to what his body and what another pretty pertinent running back tells him.

“One thing I’ve done is I’ve reached out to a lot of backs who’ve played, and a guy I’m really appreciative for—Marshall Faulk. Gave me some great advice,” McCaffrey said on Tuesday. Not coincidentally, Faulk—along with McCaffrey and Roger Craig—is also in that aforementioned 1,000-1,000 club.

“Just listening to what he had to say and the different things that he did in the offseason at different points,” he added. “Injuries or not, sometimes you have to change your offseason and your approach.”

Not a bad guy to listen to, huh?