Although it won't be in Chicago, everyone who loves football has to be excited for former Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen. Cohen has reportedly signed a contract with the Carolina Panthers. The report surfaced after Jasmine, Cohen's wife, posted the news on her personal Instagram account. That message was followed up by a picture of Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, indicating Cohen is ready to put pen to paper on Wednesday.
The contract is not yet official. That said, Cohen's triumphant return after ACL and Achilles injuries is worthy of celebration. Cohen was a fun player in Chicago and he'll get a well-deserved second chance with the Panthers.
Cohen was drafted by the Bears in 2017 as a fourth-round pick. The North Carolina A&T product immediately became a spark plug for the offense, serving as both a trusty pass catcher and runner. In addition, Cohen even threw a couple of touchdown passes in his tenure with the Bears. After signing a three-year extension entering the 2020 season, Cohen's rough injury track record began, forcing him out of game action for three years. Earlier this offseason, he was reportedly healthy and ready to workout for NFL teams.
Whether or not Cohen is the same player now that he was three years ago remains a question mark. However, he should get plenty of chances to flourish in a new-look Carolina backfield. Miles Sanders is still the lead back, and Chubba Hubbard is the backup, but Cohen will give rookie quarterback Bryce Young another reliable option out of the backfield and another weapon for the team to creatively use in their offense.
This article will be updated when Cohen's signing becomes official.
More must-reads: