Panthers star Christian McCaffrey is known for more than running, catching
Over the last couple of years, Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey has emerged as one of the top players in the league.
That has helped him earn a lucrative record-breaking four-year, $64 million extension from the Panthers to keep in tow for the long haul. Recently hired running backs coach Jeff Nixon voiced some raving praise toward McCaffrey that he has great pass-blocking skills. (H/T Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk)
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“He is a tough, tough kid. Very few negative runs,” Nixon said, via Myles Simmons of the team website. “He can pass protect, which is an underrated quality for a running back in the NFL because we’re going to throw the ball 60 to 65 percent of the time. You’ve got to be able to protect the quarterback, and Christian can do that.”
The fact that McCaffrey excels in that area of the game has made him an even more valuable piece to the puzzle. He’s already proven to be a bonafide dual-threat out of the backfield, but his ability to be an asset in the passing game opens things up in the offense.
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That is likely part of the reason why the Panthers were so willing to make him the league’s highest-paid running back earlier this offseason. McCaffrey is in the prime of his career and will have several highly productive campaigns ahead of him. It’s on Carolina to put a strong roster around him to maximize his special and unique ability over the next handful of years.
