HE’S COMING BACK AGAIN FULLY FOR
Charlotte, North Carolina—The Carolina Panthers’ running back roster is expanding. According to a league insider, the team is set to bring on board Rashaad Penny, a former first-round pick, reuniting him with head coach Dave Canales, with whom he previously worked at the Seattle Seahawks. This move is anticipated to take place following the upcoming rookie minicamp.
Penny will be joining a crowded backfield in Carolina, which already includes 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks, Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, and Raheem Blackshear.
Brooks, who underwent ACL surgery after getting injured last season at Texas, expects to be medically cleared for training camp, but having additional backs could prove useful during his transition into the team’s system.
Penny is well-versed in Canales’ system, known for its emphasis on the run game and versatility. His most successful season was with the Seahawks in 2021, coinciding with Canales being the passing game coordinator and Brad Idzik, now Carolina’s offensive coordinator, serving as an offensive assistant. Penny racked up 749 yards and six touchdowns on 119 carries during that season.
Bringing Penny onboard might also provide flexibility for the Panthers, potentially opening the door for trading Sanders, who lost his starting position to Hubbard last season, although general manager Dan Morgan still envisions a significant role for him.
Having played for the Philadelphia Eagles last season, Penny’s tenure there was brief, appearing in just three games and rushing 11 times for 33 yards. Drafted by the Seahawks in the first round of the 2018 draft, Penny has accumulated 1,951 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns over six seasons.
Houston—Texans owner Cal McNair stated that receiver Tank Dell is expected to fully recover after sustaining injuries in a shootout at a Florida restaurant last month. Although McNair did not elaborate on the extent of Dell’s injury, the team had previously described it as minor, following the April 27th incident, which also injured nine others.
During a speech preceding the team’s annual charity golf classic, McNair described the situation as alarming but offered reassurance regarding Dell’s condition.
“It looks like Tank will make a full recovery,” McNair stated. “We saw him in the office the other day, and he looked good, in good spirits. But he’ll have to rehab and get back to where he was.”
Coach DeMeco Ryans was cautious in his remarks about Dell’s recovery, choosing not to confirm whether Dell would be ready for Week 1.
“Tank should be fine,” Ryans remarked.
He mentioned having had multiple conversations with Dell since the shooting, characterizing them as positive.
When pressed for details about potential practice absences for Dell, Ryans avoided giving a direct response.
“I’ve answered all that about Tank—he’ll be all right,” Ryans reiterated.
Dell, drafted in the third round in 2023 after a successful career at the University of Houston, recorded 709 receiving yards and set a franchise rookie record with seven touchdown receptions last season before fracturing his left fibula in December.
Ryans had previously stated in April that Dell had recuperated from that injury and was ready to participate in team workouts before the shooting occurred.
