We’re counting down the days until the Panthers open up the 2025 season!
There are 34 days left until the start of the Carolina Panthers 2025 schedule, so today’s countdown piece is about number 34 in your program, running back Kay’ron Lynch-Adams.
Before the Panthers
Lynch-Adams began his college career at Rutgers in 2019 and spent two seasons with the Scarlet Knights. His stats over his first two college campaigns were good but not spectacular, rushing for 320 yards with another 120 yards through the air. In 2021 he transferred to UMass and spent two seasons there, including his breakout 2022 campaign in which he rushed for 1,157 yards and 12 touchdowns.
The 5-foot-10, 215-pound running back decided to play a fifth season of college football and transferred in 2023 to Michigan State. Last year he led the Spartans with 649 rushing yards on 133 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. He reportedly forced 47 missed tackles, ranking fifth in the Big Ten.
He declared for the 2025 NFL Draft and went undrafted before signing a deal with the Panthers.
What to expect in his rookie season
Among positions in the NFL where an undrafted rookie free agent can latch on with a team, running back is near the top of the list. Injuries frequently happen at running back and most teams are happy to try to mine diamonds in the rough (read: UDFAs) who can carry the rock while earning the NFL’s version of minimum wage.
Lynch-Adams will be battling for a spot on the depth chart behind incumbent starter Chuba Hubbard and new free agent Rico Dowdle who rushed for 1,079 yards (4.6 YPC) for the Dallas Cowboys last year. Carolina invested a fourth round pick this year in Georgia’s Trevor Etienne, but he’s a rookie just like Lynch-Adams and there isn’t much proven experience elsewhere on the depth chart.
If Lynch-Adams can show well this summer, he’s a candidate to make Carolina’s practice squad. Team’s always need to have depth at running back, and that’s precisely what he is.