14 Jan 11 Carolina Panthers DeShaun Foster Steven Davis

Although the Carolina Panthers are among the elite teams in football, many still question their running back position. The Panthers bring DeShaun Foster, Nick Goings, Eric Shelton and Jamal Robertson as the top four backs on their depth chart. The main point of concern which leads people to question this group of backs is the fact that all have been injury-prone in the past. On the contrary, the Panthers' offensive coaching staff and front-office is confident in the health of their lead trio of backs.For openers, the Panthers bring the highly talented, yet oft injured Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
Foster, who is officially penciled in as the team's No. 1 back for next season. After starting last season behind veteran bruiser Stephen Davis on the Panthers' depth chart, Foster took over and had a big season with 879 rushing yards and 372 receiving yards. He was also second on the team in receptions with 34, so he undoubtedly has an opportunity to be one of the league's best all-purpose threats, if he can stay healthy. In four seasons, Foster, a former second-round pick from UCLA, has appeared in just 33 out of a possible 64 games. However, the Panthers put a lot of trust in Foster's future health last month as they re-signed the 26-year-old to a three-year contract worth a hefty $14.5 million. Foster's contract came just 10 days after the Panthers released Davis because of salary cap constraints. Clearly, the Panthers have put their faith in Foster, and for once, they better hope he stays healthy. If his health can hold up for a full season, the Panthers will have one of the league's finest dual-threats.In the event that Foster fails to stay healthy, the Carolina Panthers can always bring the 28-year-old Goings to the table. Goings isn't necessarily a well-known entity, but he's an above-average back with the ability to bang up opposing defenders with his 225 pound frame. In extended duty in 2004, Goings rushed for a surprising 821 yards and six touchdowns. He was also among the Panthers' leaders in receptions that year with 45. Thus, much like Foster, Goings has proven to be a nice all-purpose player who can puzzle the opposition on a good day. Certainly, many NFL teams would be more than happy to have him as a backup or change of pace player.One player who hasn't gotten much notoriety on the Panthers is the 22-year-old Shelton. Subsequent to being drafted in the third-round of the 2005 draft, Shelton broke his foot last Reebok Minnesota Vikings 28 Adrian Peterson Realtree camo Jersey
September in a preseason game, and that forced him to miss all of last season. At the University of Louisville, Shelton was extremely impressive as he led the team in rushing and regularly dominated opposing defenses, even though he had to split carries with former teammate and current Buffalo Bills reserve running back Lionel Gates. Weighing in at a whopping 249 pounds, Shelton will be able to step in as the heir apparent to the departed Davis if he pans out the way Carolina hopes. He has the opportunity to be a major factor around the goal-line with his imposing bulk. Out of all the Panthers' running backs, it may be the 29-year-old Robertson who ends up as the odd man out. The five-year veteran has never proven to be capable of winning a job or even carrying a load for a single game. He will likely end up having difficulty making the Panthers' roster, since he has three superior backs ahead of him. In the event that Robertson does earn a roster spot in Carolina, it'll likely be due to an injury to one of the Panthers' other backs; Robertson's other hope is to make the team as a special teamer, since he's solid in that aspect.If the Carolina Panthers end up contending for a Super Bowl title next season, it will be due in no small part to the success of their running game. Therefore, it is imperative that Foster gets the jobReebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
done and stays healthy as the starter, and it's also of high importance that Goings and Shelton provide legitimate threats as reserves. If not, the Panthers will be looking at a redo of their NFC Championship game loss last season, as their running backs were shut down because of injuries. The result? A humiliating 34-14 defeat. Obviously, nobody in Carolina wants to see that nightmarish scenario played out again.--Connor Byrne can be reached at cbyrne