Royce Freeman did not make it out of the top 10 on the waiver wire, going to the team that picked just ahead of the Broncos in this past draft. The Panthers claimed Freeman on Thursday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
The ex-Bronco is joining Christian McCaffrey and rookie Chuba Hubbard at running back on Carolina’s active roster. The Panthers are cutting veteran back Trenton Cannon to clear a roster spot for Freeman, David Newton of ESPN.com notes.
Denver waived Freeman on Wednesday, making room for rookie UDFA running back Nate McCrary. The Broncos added Mike Boone and second-round pick Javonte Williams this offseason. With Melvin Gordon‘s guarantees remaining intact after DUI charges were dismissed, Freeman faced an uphill climb to carve out a role in Denver this year.
The former third-round pick will provide the Panthers with considerable experience behind McCaffrey. A four-year Oregon contributor, Freeman totaled 297 career carries for 1,187 yards and eight touchdowns with the Broncos. The 225-pound back mostly worked as the ball-carrying B-side to Phillip Lindsay in Denver but was not much of a factor last year, with Gordon in town.
Mike Davis‘ departure for Atlanta left an experience void behind McCaffrey, and considering the dual-threat standout missed most of last season, adding depth could be critical for Carolina — especially as the schedule expands to 17 games. One year remains on Freeman’s rookie contract.
Also a 2018 draftee, Cannon spent last season with the Panthers and contributed mostly as a kick returner. Cannon spent his first two seasons with the Jets. The Virginia State alum would be eligible for Carolina’s practice squad, should he pass through waivers.
Solid pickup for the panthers. I think this guy can play. Averages 4 yards per attempt. Mccaffrey is 4.6. So that’s not a terrible drop off. (Not saying they’re anything alike, just context LOL)
Great, great pickup for Carolina. As I said in his article, Freeman has done nothing but play well in his role since being picked by Denver. He is a good pass protector too, and definitely a different type of back than McCaffery. He’s big, runs well between the tackles, and despite his heavy workload at Oregon, was lightly used the last couple of years in Denver. Lastly, he is used to platooning with another back. So, all in all, good pickup.
Joe Average. His yards per carry are a perfect reflection of every run he makes, as he can’t run over or past anyone. This works on well on 2nd and 3, but is not especially valuable otherwise.
That’s a minimization if I ever heard one. Freeman is not the best back in the league, but he did his job well and for a time was Denver’s most efficient back per carry easily. He’s a good piece who can contribute well to a winning team.