Panthers hope McCaffrey’s return, Mayfield bolster offense

By The Associated Press

The Carolina Panthers are coming off back-to-back five-win seasons. But they still have one of the league’s most dynamic players in running back Christian McCaffrey, who should prove to be a huge asset to newly announced starting quarterback Baker Mayfield if he stays healthy. McCaffrey has missed 23 of the past 33 games because of injuries, but has looked strong in training camp. The defense, led by defensive end Brian Burns, linebacker Shaq Thompson and safety Jeremy Chinn is young, but still considered the strength of the team. This could be a make-or-break season for Rhule, who is 10-23 in two seasons as head coach.