The Carolina Panthers have bolstered their backfield with the addition of veteran running back Rashaad Penny. The agreement reunites Penny with head coach Dave Canales, under whom he previously played during their time together with the Seattle Seahawks.
Penny joins an already robust group of running backs in Carolina, including 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks, Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, and Raheem Blackshear.
Brooks, who suffered a torn ACL last season while playing for Texas, anticipates being medically cleared in time for training camp. However, the Panthers are ensuring depth in the backfield to support Brooks’ transition into the system.
With familiarity in Canales’ system, Penny brings added versatility to Carolina’s offense. His most notable season came in 2021 with the Seahawks, where he amassed 749 yards and six touchdowns on 119 carries.
The addition of Penny potentially opens up options for the Panthers, including the possibility of trading Miles Sanders, who lost the starting job to Hubbard last season. Despite this, general manager Dan Morgan expressed confidence in Sanders’ future role within the team.
Penny, 28, spent the previous season with the Philadelphia Eagles, though his playing time was limited, appearing in only three games and rushing for 33 yards on 11 attempts.
Originally selected by the Seahawks in the first round of the 2018 draft (27th overall), Penny boasts a career total of 1,951 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns across six seasons.
