USA TODAY Sports

Exclusive rights free agent running back Raheem Blackshear had his contract tendered on Wednesday, meaning he will return to the Carolina Panthers in 2024.

Blackshear has spent the last two seasons in Carolina, serving as a depth piece in the backfield while also getting a lot of work in the return game in both punts and kickoffs.

This past season, Blackshear's return duties were exclusively on kickoffs where he returned 16 kicks for 430 yards, giving him an average of 26.9 yards per return. He had limited opportunities in the run game rushing for just 46 yards on 14 carries. In 2022, Blackshear found his way into the end zone three times on just 23 rushing attempts. 

With Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders set as the clear one-two punch in the Carolina backfield, Blackshear will compete for that third spot while also remaining a key part to the Panthers' special teams unit.

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