There was a decent dose of expectation for Christian McCaffrey

There was a decent dose of expectation for Christian McCaffrey heading into his sophomore year in the NFL. It didn’t take much to realize that the former Stanford star bulked up in the off-season. Would the change in his body lead to production? The early results suggest yes. Before last week’s games Womens Donte Jackson Jersey , he was 4th in the league in yards after contact.Don’t believe the stats? Well here are some examples:The one area of improvement that’s gone under noticed is his pass blocking. McCaffrey struggled in this area last season. The objectives for a back in pass protection are to identify the blitzer and have sound technique to prevent a muddled pocket.McCaffrey’s job is straight forward on this blitz. Cam Newton is taking a short three step drop on a timing route. McCaffrey quickly identifies the blitzing linebacker and forces him back inside. The Bengals bring a similar blitz later in the game. The defensive line slants to the left, which gives McCaffrey a straight forward ID on the linebacker. He assists Tyler Larsen to give Newton a clean pocket. There’s a lot going on in this play-action pass. Ryan Kalil gets run over. Greg Van Roten pulls, but he’s late to pick up the edge rusher. McCaffrey lands a solid chip on the edge to help Van Roten. This gives Newton just enough time before attempting his pass.This isn’t a pretty rep, but he does his job to slow down both blitzing linebackers. His overall strength has improved, but McCaffrey can still improve his technique to become a better blocker. He’s improved upon the mental side by correctly picking up blitz concepts to keep Newton’s pocket clean.Here is an example of his strength and technique working together. He matches with the stunting rusher, establishes a wide base, and makes perfect contact. McCaffrey doesn’t get ran over, which is a sign that he showed correct technique. It’s too soon to tell if McCaffrey will be one of the better pass blocking backs in the league http://www.panthersfootballauthentic.com/jarius-wright-jersey-authentic , but considering where he was last year he has undoubtedly shown positive growth. The enhancements as an every down runner, his continued success as a pass catcher, and now his advancements as a pass blocker are beginning to show why the Panthers invested a top 10 pick in CMC.Why losing TE Greg Olsen isn’t all bad for the Panthers The Panthers’ offense has had a rough going with injuries. It doesn’t appear a break is coming any time soon. On Tuesday, it was announced that tight end Greg Olsen re-fractured his right foot. The three-time Pro Bowler is Cam Newton’s most trusted target. Prior to his injury last season, Olsen surpassed over 1,000 yards and 75 receptions for three consecutive seasons. Olsen was set to be a staple in Norv Turner’s Air Coryell type offense. But not all bad news has to be “bad”. There is a silver lining. That being there’s now opportunity for the younger guys to step up. There’s no doubt that losing Olsen is a blow to Carolina’s offense. But this isn’t the first time the Panthers’ have had to adjust around losing their starting tight end. Ron Rivera insured himself by drafting Ian Thomas in the fourth round in the 2018 NFL Draft. With Olsen’s absence, Thomas is expected to get the start in Panthers’ matchup against the Falcons on Sunday. Although it’s been limited, what we have seen of Thomas has been positive. In the preseason http://www.panthersfootballauthentic.com/da_norris-searcy-jersey-authentic , he caught three passes for 37 yards and a touchdown. He’s also shown flashes of his ability to block. Thomas has been referred to as a bit of an “unknown”. But Thomas won’t be an unknown for much longer. He has good size sitting at 6’4 and 260 pounds. He’s versatile as a receiver and his ability to block makes him an asset. Aside from Thomas, there’s still a slew of receivers for Turner to work with. One being the highly anticipated rookie D.J. Moore. Without Olsen, it allows Moore the chance to go out there and make plays. The first-round draft pick was not targeted in the Panthers’ 16-8 win over the Cowboys. But Moore’s potential is up there. He’s a good blocking receiver and he has the ability to be a deep threat. Before the injury, there wasn’t a reason to chance Thomas and Moore with the assurance of Olsen. With the restructuring of the offense, there’s now ample opportunity to see what the young guys can do.