Franchise Centerpiece: Luke Kuechly or Christian McCaffrey?

These two will go down as some of the best players in franchise history. If you had to pick one, who would it be?

Throughout the 25 year history of the Carolina Panthers, there have been some extremely gifted players. In fact, the franchise has drafted the most All-Pro's since 2000.

Several players have made their mark on the organization and have gone on to have Hall of Fame careers. Today, we will be talking about two likely Hall of Famers - Luke Kuechly and Christian McCaffrey.

When it comes to rebuilding a franchise, you need to have a guy that will set the tone for how practices will go, film sessions, team meetings, workouts, etc. Somebody with that makeup is someone you can build your franchise around. 

So, if you were named the Panthers general manager, who would you choose to build your franchise around? Luke Kuechly or Christian McCaffrey?

In my opinion, it's Luke Kuechly.

No knock to McCaffrey, but running backs don't have great longevity in the NFL and if you don't have a star at that position, it's not a detrimental hit to your team's success. Having someone like McCaffrey certainly doesn't hurt, but it doesn't do much in terms of building a franchise around.

For example, the top four single-season rushing totals didn't result in the team having an abundance of success.

1. Eric Dickerson (1984 Rams): 10-6 record, lost first round of playoffs.

2. Adrian Peterson (2012 Vikings): 10-6 record, lost first round of playoffs.

3. Jamal Lewis (2003 Ravens): 10-6 record, lost first round of playoffs.

4. Barry Sanders (1997 Lions): 9-7 record, lost first round of playoffs.

However, the No. 5 guy is Terrell Davis of the 1998 Denver Broncos - who won the Super Bowl. But it goes to show you how important it is to have a star at quarterback such as John Elway. If you can compliment a top running back with a top quarterback, now you have something. But as history shows, a running back won't carry you to the promise land.

Kuechly is what every defensive coordinator, head coach, general manager, and owner dream about in a linebacker. His football IQ and instincts are through the roof. There's no fooling Luke Kuechly. He will sniff out every counter, play-action fake, screen and option that you throw at him. 

Unlike a running back, linebackers typically hang around the game much, much longer, Unfortunately, Kuechly dealt with concussion issues and decided to retire this offseason at the age of 29. But given that the average life span of a running back in the NFL is 3.3 years, Kuechly would still give you more quality years even with retiring at a young age. 

I understand your reasoning for wanting to choose McCaffrey, but as much as he is used, how many quality years do you think he has left in him? Would it be worth choosing him as the guy you want to build around?

Who would you choose to build your franchise around? Luke Kuechly or Christian McCaffrey? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

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