I still expect a dynasty buy low thread for Stewart this offseason.
In all seriousness, his job has got to now be in jeopardy. Availability on game day is a valuable asset to NFL teams. If this ends Stewarts' season, he'll have played (mostly as a backup) in 15 of his last 32 games possible.
That 2012 contract is looking like one of the worst in NFL history.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/panthers-renegotiated-jonathan-stewart-contract-234811883--nfl.html
Sorry, I know Stewart has been oft-injured lately, but when this contract was signed, these are Stewart's stats for his first 4 years in the league:
Rushing - 725 for 3500 (4.8ypc) 26 TDs
Receiving - 118 for 702 3 TDs
Missed Games - 2 out of 64
DeAngelo got his deal in 2011, so I agree that the contract didn't make sense having 2 RBs getting paid that much, but in 2012, Stewart was looked upon as a guy who could easily put up RB1 numbers by himself. Almost 900/7 per season is not bad at all getting an average of 181 carries a year.
Anyway, people tend to distort history a bit based on recent events, but Stewart missed 2 games his first four years and averaged around 1000 total yards on limited touches. 4.8ypc on 725 carries ain't bad at all.
That said, I wouldn't be surprised if Carolina dumps him and DeAngelo (not sure based on cap/contract) and goes rookie and Tolbert. Pretty sure that the RB in Carolina isn't as important as it was when these two combined for around 2300 yards rushing in 2008 and 2009. That was Delhomme, not Newton. If I were Carolina, I am targeting a RB/WR/OL in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd rounds of the draft. The D looks solid and is young, Smith and Olsen look like they should be good for some time and Ginn/LaFell would be nice WR3/4s.