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Illinois Football: 3 NFL teams who need Dre Brown the most

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 02: Dre Brown #25 of the Illinois Fighting Illini runs the ball for a touchdown in the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium on November 02, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 02: Dre Brown #25 of the Illinois Fighting Illini runs the ball for a touchdown in the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Memorial Stadium on November 02, 2019 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 17: A Carolina Panthers helmet before their game against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium on November 17, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 17: A Carolina Panthers helmet before their game against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium on November 17, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) /

3. Carolina Panthers

The final team that I think would be a perfect fit for Dre Brown is the Carolina Panthers. They weren’t a bad rushing team in 2019 and should continue being in the top half of the NFL for the foreseeable future.

In 2019, the Panthers ranked as the No. 14 rushing team in the NFL. They averaged 113.7 yards per game on the ground. This production had everything to do with the dominance of Christian McCaffrey. He has been sensational for Carolina since joining the organization.

The Panthers are going to be starting McCaffrey as long as he is in the NFL. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that he is going to be the No. 1 running back on the roster. But there is room behind the Pro Bowl running back on the depth chart.

Reggie Bonnafon, Jordan Scarlett and Mike Davis are projected to be the backups for McCaffrey this upcoming season. Bonnafon had a good rookie campaign rushing for 116 yards and averaging 7.3 yards per carry. As a backup, that is what you want in a running back. When you get to the third and fourth string ball carriers is when you see a drop-off.

Scarlett only averaged 2.3 YPC as a rookie for the Panthers last season. Then you have Davis who started with the Chicago Bears and finished in Carolina in 2019. He isn’t even a serviceable running back anymore. He averaged 2.3 YPC with the Bears and 1.0 YPC with the Panthers.

Next. Illini land on top list for Kendrick Blackshire. dark

It is time for Carolina to upgrade their depth. They have two solid running backs on the depth chart right now, but having someone like Brown come in would help stabilize depth. Brown could be a nice change-of-pace ball carrier. The Panthers could either draft or sign Brown and then stash him away for a few years while he gets his NFL legs underneath him.

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