The Panthers are slowly beginning to stock up their running back depth behind Christian McCaffrey as they announced Monday that they’ve signed former University of North Carolina and Charlotte Catholic standout Elijah Hood to a one-year deal – Hood missed all of 2018 with a torn ACL suffered on the opening kickoff of the final preseason game.
The Charlotte native who grew up as a Panthers fan was set to become an exclusive rights free agent in March and has been rehabbing the knee since the injury.
Hood rushed nine times for 11 yards, including a one-yard touchdown plunge, and caught one pass for 21 yards that also found the end zone during the 2018 preseason. Hood previously appeared in one game with the Oakland Raiders after being drafted in the seventh round of the 2017 draft and spent the rest of the season on Oakland’s practice squad before being waived and subsequently claimed by the Panthers in May of last year.
The 5-11, 230-pound rusher will get a chance to compete for a roster spot as the Panthers have four running backs – Fozzy Whittaker, Cameron Artis-Payne, Travaris Cadet and Kenjon Barner – set to hit unrestricted free agency.
Carolina currently has Hood, McCaffrey and Reggie Bonnafon, an undrafted free agent who spent all of 2018 on the practice squad, on the roster.
