Panthers' Mike Boone: Sees five touches in Week 18
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Boone rushed four times for 18 yards and caught his only target for minus-2 yards in Sunday's 44-38 overtime win over the Falcons.
The 29-year-old shared the Panthers' top backup running back duties with Raheem Blackshear, playing behind Miles Sanders, who returned from an ankle injury in the Week 18 win. However, Boone was outproduced by both Sanders and Blackshear, as they averaged 5.8 and 11.8 yards per touch, respectively, compared to Boone's 3.2. The veteran back finished his 2024 campaign with 51 rushing yards on 13 carries, appearing in just six games.
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Panthers' Mike Boone: Logs two carries vs. Buccaneers
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Boone rushed twice for 11 yards and failed to haul in his only target in Sunday's 48-14 loss to the Buccaneers.
The Panthers signed Boone to their active roster Saturday after workhorse back Chuba Hubbard (calf) was placed on injured reserve. Boone played as Carolina's second-string running back in Sunday's loss, but that role yielded limited opportunities, as he saw just two touches. The veteran was also hindered by a poor game script, with the Panthers trailing by at least two scores from early in the second quarter through the remainder of the game. Boone is likely to play behind Raheem Blackshear as Carolina's top backup RB again in the Week 18 matchup against the Falcons, though meaningful production remains unlikely.
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Panthers' Mike Boone: Won't start, may get meaningful work
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Boone is expected to have a role in the Panthers' offensive game plan for Sunday's contest against the Buccaneers, though Raheem Blackshear in on track to start at running back, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
The Carolina backfield will be led by a new face for the first time all season, as three-down workhorse Chuba Hubbard (knee/calf) was placed on injured reserve Saturday and will miss the Panthers' final two games. Blackshear has been a fixture on the roster all season, but he's made his mark almost exclusively on special teams as a return man, as he didn't receive his first carries until the Week 16 win over the Cardinals. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound Blackshear was an adept receiver in college and on the few times he's been called upon in that capacity during his three years in the professional ranks, but with an average of just 3.4 yards per carry on 40 totes during his career, the Panthers may prefer to use him in a change-of-pace/passing-down capacity Sunday, despite the fact that he's picking up the start. With that in mind, Kaye relays that he would be surprised if Blackshear ends up getting more touches than Boone, who has bounced between the Panthers' active roster and practice squad for much of the season. At 5-foot-10 and 205 pounds, Boone offers a bit more size as a runner between the tackles and has been much more effective as a ball carrier than Blackshear, averaging 5.1 yards per carry on 111 totes over parts of seven NFL seasons.
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Panthers' Mike Boone: Joins active roster
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The Panthers signed Boone to their active roster Saturday ahead of Sunday's game against the Buccaneers, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
With fellow running back Chuba Hubbard (calf) having landed on injured reserve, Boone will be needed for the Panthers' final two regular-season games. Per Gantt, Boone and Raheem Blackshear are in line handle backfield duties in Hubbard's absence, a context that makes Boone worth a roster dart for those scrambling for Week 17 running back help.
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Mike Boone: Could help fill in for Hubbard
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With Chuba Hubbard (calf/knee) on track to be placed on IR ahead of Sunday's game against the Buccaneers, Boone is a candidate to share backfield work with Raheem Blackshear, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Apart from Hubbard, Blackshear is currently the only other running back on the Panthers' 53-man roster, but Boone and Emani Bailey are on the team's practice squad, and are thus candidates for elevation ahead of Week 17 action. Per Schefter, Blackshear and Boone appear likely to share backfield work versus Tampa Bay, a context that makes Boone a potential lineup dart for those in need of RB help down the stretch.
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Mike Boone: Reverts to practice squad
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Boone reverted to Carolina's practice squad Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.
Boone served as the No. 3 running back behind Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear during the Panthers' 36-30 overtime win over the Cardinals due to Velus Jones (coach's decision) being a healthy inactive. Boone ended up playing 11 snaps (four on offense, seven on special teams) and turned his lone carry into one yard. Boone is eligible to be elevated to Carolina's active roster one more time during the regular season.
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Panthers' Mike Boone: Elevated for Week 16
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The Panthers elevated Boone from their practice squad Saturday.
The veteran back has now been elevated in back-to-back weeks. Boone played three offensive snaps last Sunday against Dallas, rushing two times for 14 yards. With both Miles Sanders (ankle) and Jonathon Brooks (knee) on injured reserve, Boone slots in as Carolina's RB3 behind Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear.
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Panthers' Mike Boone: Elevated from practice squad
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The Panthers have elevated Boone from the practice squad to the active roster Saturday ahead of Sunday's game against the Cowboys.
The Panthers will be without Jonathon Brooks (knee), Miles Sanders (ankle) and Raheem Blackshear (chest), so Boone will operate as the No. 2 running back behind Chuba Hubbard on Sunday. Boone has four carries for seven yards across two games this season.
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Mike Boone: Will work as No. 2 back at practice
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Panthers head coach Dave Canales said Monday that Boone will work as the No. 2 running back behind Chuba Hubbard with Jonathon Brooks (knee) out for the year and Raheem Blackshear (chest) considered day-to-day, Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports.
Boone, who Carolina signed to the practice squad back in October, could get a chance to be elevated Week 15 against Dallas, as currently Hubbard is the only healthy running back on the Panthers' active roster. If Blackshear is forced to sit out versus the Cowboys, Boone may even be called upon to work as the top backup to Hubbard. Carolina's other most notable depth option, Miles Sanders (ankle), won't be eligible to return from IR until Week 16, at the earliest.
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Mike Boone: Released by Carolina
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The Panthers released Boone on Tuesday.
Boone had appeared in just two of the Panthers' first five games, logging five offensive snaps and another 34 on special teams. He rushed four times for seven scoreless yards. Boone had been serving as Carolina's RB4 behind Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders and Raheem Blackshear. Boone is now 29 years old and will look for work elsewhere, though he's also a candidate to go to Carolina's practice squad.
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Panthers' Mike Boone: Inactive for Week 2
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Boone (coach's decision) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Chargers, Darin Gantt of the Panthers' official site reports.
The Panthers signed Boone off the practice squad to the active roster Tuesday after he played 24 snaps (five on offense, 19 on special teams) and turned four carries into seven yards in Week 1 against the Saints. The 29-year-old will not suit up against the Chargers, however, and the Panthers will go with Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders and Raheem Blackshear as the three active running backs for Sunday's contest. Boone's next chance at playing will be Week 3 against the Raiders on Sept. 22.
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Panthers' Mike Boone: Signs to active roster
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The Panthers are slated to sign Boone to the 53-man roster from the practice squad Tuesday, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
Boone had been elevated from the practice squad against the Saints in Week 1. He only took four carries for seven yards in the blowout loss (on five offensive snaps), but also played 68 percent of snaps on special teams. Boone figures to reprise a similar depth role against the Chargers on Sunday.
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Mike Boone: Reverts to practice squad
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Boone reverted to Carolina's practice squad Monday, per the NFL's transaction log.
Despite playing just five offensive snaps in the Panthers' loss at New Orleans in Week 1, Boone carried the football four times, albeit for seven yards. With Jonathon Brooks (knee) still out, it wouldn't be surprising to see Boone called back up for Week 2.
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Panthers' Mike Boone: Up from practice squad
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The Panthers elevated Boone to the active roster Saturday, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
With Jonathon Brooks (knee) set to miss at least the first four games of the regular season while on the NFI list, Boone will serve as the fourth running back on the Panthers' depth chart for Sunday's game against the Saints behind Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders and Raheem Blackshear. Boone appeared in nine regular-season games for the Texans in 2023, finishing with five carries for 23 yards and seven catches (on nine targets) for 40 yards.
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Mike Boone: Staying in Carolina
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Boone signed with the Panthers' practice squad Wednesday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.
Boone spent last season in Houston before he was waived, and he then inked a deal with Carolina's practice squad in early 2024. The veteran running back was expected to rejoin the Panthers' practice squad ahead of the coming campaign after winning over the coaching staff in camp.
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Mike Boone: Won't make initial rostery
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Boone was released by the Panthers on Tuesday, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
Boone spent last season in Houston before he was waived and inked a deal with Carolina's practice squad. The veteran running back is considered a candidate to once again join the team's practice squad, assuming he doesn't find a better option elsewhere.
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Mike Boone: Let go by Houston
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The Texans waived Boone on Monday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston reports.
Boone will head to waivers after serving as a healthy scratch for the past four weeks. The 28-year-old will now look to catch on with another team after carrying the ball five times for 23 yards and catching seven of his nine targets for an additional 70 yards in nine games this season.
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Texans' Mike Boone: Healthy scratch for Week 12
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Boone (coach's decision) is a healthy inactive for Sunday's game against the Jaguars.
Dameon Pierce (ankle) is active after missing the Texans' last three games, leaving no room in the backfield for Boone. Pierce and Devin Singletary -- the latter of whom served as Houston's lead back during Pierce's absence -- are expected to share most of the snaps on offense, while Dare Ogunbowale is active as the Texans' No. 3 back but is likely to see most of his playing time on special teams.
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Texans' Mike Boone: Fills out backfield
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Boone had one carry for three yards and played 19 snaps on offense in Sunday's 39-37 win over the Buccaneers in Week 9.
Boone's playing time was his most since Week 1, but significant touches did not come his way. With Dameon Pierce (ankle) unavailable, Boone moved up the depth chart as the primary backup to Devin Singletary, but Houston's running game didn't gain much traction (53 yards) and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik shifted to a pass-heavy attack. Boone, who had been the primary kick returner in previous weeks, was removed from that role as Tank Dell handled those duties.
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Texans' Mike Boone: Gets first carry of season
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Boone had one carry for four yards in Sunday's 30-6 win over the Steelers.
Boone's first carry of the season came well into the fourth quarter with Houston up by three scores. His main role until Sunday has been as a kickoff returner, but Devin Singletary handled those chores in Week 4. Boone has been active for three of four games and played just 30 offensive snaps.
