Gambling NewsSports Betting News

NFL News and Notes: Panthers Extend McCaffrey

While the NFL has the luxury of not being in season during this coronavirus pandemic, it is still certainly affecting aspects of the way the league does business. For instance, next week’s NFL Draft will be unique as it will be completely virtual, and there have even been some rumblings about the season possibly having to start without fans.

One aspect that will be interesting to watch as the league makes decisions on next season is the health of the players. The NFL has had its first active player test positive as Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reports Brian Allen of the Rams has tested positive.

Still, the hope now is that football will resume as normal in the fall, even if some of the offseason training has to be adjusted. Let’s take a look at some of the other news from around the league from this last week:

McCaffrey Signs Record-Breaking Deal

While the draft may be affected, other aspects of the NFL are in full force. For the Carolina Panthers, that includes giving out record-breaking extensions.

The Panthers have locked up superstar running back Christian McCaffrey to a four-year deal worth $16 million per year. That makes McCaffrey the highest-paid running back in NFL history.

It is no surprise that McCaffrey got his payday. Last year, he was remarkable, rushing for 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns. He also secured 116 receptions for 1,005 yards and another four scores.

It will be interesting to see how the Panthers are shaped under new head coach Matt Rhule, but one thing is for sure, the Panthers’ offense will likely be centralized around the talents of McCaffrey.

Texans Acquire Cooks

While it is hard to defend Texans’ head coach and acting general manager Bill O’Brien’s decision to trade DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals a few weeks back, he has done a nice job of getting some weapons in for his star quarterback Deshaun Watson. Most recently, O’Brien acquired Brandin Cooks and a future four-round pick from the Los Angeles Rams for a 2020 second-round pick.

Last year, for the Rams, Cooks had 42 receptions for 583 yards and two touchdowns. This was the first time that he has not broken the 1,000-yard marker in the last five years.

Needless to say, when healthy, he can be an elite receiver. The concern is health can be problematic for Cooks as he has a history of concussions, and some believe the next one might be the one that knocks him out of the league.

With Cooks in the fold, Deshaun Watson now has Cooks, Randall Cobb, Will Fuller and Kenny Stills as targets while also adding David Johnson to the backfield. While health for many of these guys remains a concern, there is no denying that it could be a productive offense.

Could Mixon Hold Out?

While the Cincinnati Bengals must be filled with excitement over the possibility of drafting a franchise quarterback in Joe Burrow, there may be some concerns on another front with their offense. Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports that their star running back, Joe Mixon, may be on the verge of a holdout if a new deal is not done. Given the deal that McCaffrey just got in Carolina, it may complicate things even further.

While Mixon is not McCaffrey, he is certainly talented. Last season, Mixon rushed 278 times for 1,137 yards and five touchdowns. Additionally, he had 35 receptions for 287 yards and another three touchdowns.

That now makes two straight seasons with over 1,000 yards (his rookie season he had 626 yards). It will be interesting to see if a deal comes together and, if not, who is willing to cave first or if we could be looking at another extended holdout from a running back.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Check Also
Close