The National Football League has a lot of incredible stories about players returning from injury, and we have another one. Former Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen is reportedly signing with the Carolina Panthers to their practice squad.
Awesome comeback news: Former #Bears RB Tarik Cohen is returning back in the NFL after 3 years, with the #Panthers
The electrifying RB hasn't played in a game since 2020 due to injuries but according to his wife he's signing with Carolina. Not yet official from the team but he… pic.twitter.com/4ncB0DBevE
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 12, 2023
The team has not officially announced the signing, but his wife took to social media to show her appreciation to her husband. Cohen has not played since the 2020 season, as he suffered knee injuries that only allowed him to play in three games. While working out for a return, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon but is now completely healthy and ready to return to the field.
He is in his age 28 season and has 264 career carries for 1,101 yards (4.2 yards per attempt) with five rushing touchdowns, as well as being a pass-catching back with 209 receptions for 1,575 yards (7.5 yards per catch) with nine touchdowns. He was an All-Pro back in the 2018 season and could be a massive addition to this Panthers offense.
Can Tarik Cohen be an impactful player for the Panthers this season?
This Panthers offense getting another player that can do well will help rookie quarterback Bryce Young continue to get acclimated to the NFL. The running back position is loaded with Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard already on the depth chart, but rotating in with Cohen will be something that has a lot of upside.
Cohen could be an extra running back on the field in passing situations, as he has proven to be a solid receiver as well as an impactful runner. The offense struggled in their opening game against division-rival Atlanta Falcons, as they only produced 10 points on 281 total yards.
While it will likely be a few weeks before Cohen is placed on the active roster, if one of the running backs goes down, it can be a massive addition for an extremely cheap price tag.