Matt Rhule Hints Using Curtis Samuel at Running Back
Not many folks around the league really buy-in to the Panthers being a competitive team in 2020, but with the offensive weaponry they have in their arsenal, it could win them a handful of games that they aren't favored to win.
This offseason, Carolina added Teddy Bridgewater in free agency along with receivers Robby Anderson, Seth Roberts, Keith Kirkwood, and Pharoh Cooper. Are they the top echelon guys that were available in the free agent market? No, but they all bring value and worth to a Panthers offense that struggled mightily at times last year outside of Christian McCaffrey.
First year head coach Matt Rhule and first year offensive coordinator Joe Brady are looking to turn this offense from mediocre to explosive in just one offseason. The main problem? They haven't been able to do as much as they would like due to the pandemic.
“They’re guys that we haven’t had our hands on yet, so we see the potential, we see the things that they can do. Now, we’ve got to fit them into our system. I think one of the reasons I hired Joe [Brady] is that Joe finds what guys do well and tries to stick them to that."
In addition to the free agent acquisitions this offseason, Carolina returns three huge pieces in running back Christian McCaffrey and receivers D.J. Moore and Curtis Samuel. With Robby Anderson now in the fold, Samuel is kind of the guy everyone is beginning to forget about. In 2019, Samuel hauled in 54 receptions for 627 yards and six touchdowns. Not earth-shattering numbers, but not terrible for a season in which the Panthers started three different quarterbacks (Cam Newton, Kyle Allen, and Will Grier).
For Rhule and Brady to turn this offense into a legitimate attack, they are going to have to get creative schematically. On Wednesday, Rhule told the media that the team has been cross-training players, teaching them how to play the other side of the ball incase an outbreak of the virus happens and players need to fill in at different spots. The big nugget that Rhule also dropped during his Zoom press conference was that they could see Samuel playing multiple positions, regardless of an outbreak.
“I think the thing that has always intrigued us about Curtis is obviously he has tremendous deep-play ability. He gets behind people. He hasn’t always been connected with, but he has the ability to run by people, but he’s also so versatile. We see him as a guy who could be a running back. We see him as a guy that can be a slot. We see him as a guy who can be an outside receiver. So he brings to me, kind of going back to his days at Ohio State, sort of a sense of versatility that we think can be fun. We think we can utilize him."
Using Samuel at running back is an interesting option for Carolina. Aside from McCaffrey, there is a lot of inexperience at the position and a lack of explosiveness. He's more than likely not going to see the reps that a No. 2 back will see, but handing it off to him a handful of times each game will keep defenses on their heels and off balance.
Samuel is entering the final year of his rookie contract, so the more versatile he can become and the more value he brings to the offense, the likelihood of him getting a contract extension increases.
“For Curtis, I think we have to do a great job of properly utilizing him and I know we will. You add in the guys that we’re bringing back and the guys we signed, I think we feel good about that group."
What do you think of the Panthers potentially using Curtis Samuel at running back in 2020? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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