NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Carolina Panthers may want a mulligan for this offseason when it comes to Miles Sanders. They believed they were getting a veteran player to take pressure off rookie Bryce Young, instead, it has backfired.
Through the first 8 games of the season, the Panthers rank 24th in Rushing Yards and have found the end zone on the ground a paltry 2 times. This is not why you pay a Pro Bowl back $25.4 million to do. Sanders was supposed to bring a winning presence to the huddle and at times, he’s second-best in the RB room behind Chuba Hubbard. The Panthers need more from Sanders but does he have more to give?
Young has started slow, especially when compared to Anthony Richardson and CJ Stroud. However, just like his counterparts, there will be ups and downs. The best way to help a young QB is to provide him with insurance. And a player coming off 1269 Rushing Yards is supposed to do just that. However, Sanders has started just 5 games this season with 69 attempts for 229 yards with an average of 3.3 yards per carry
Maybe it’s the scheme. Maybe it’s the offensive line. Sanders is going from the league-best to average. But still, the talent is there. Something just isn’t clicking. Since his time in the NFL, Sanders has been on a winning team. Could that be the reason for his drop in production? Is he fully tuned in knowing the Panthers have no shot at the playoffs?
Will The Carolina Panthers Trade Miles Sanders
Another thing to consider is that help is not on the way unless they get creative. The Carolina Panthers, in order to select Young with the No. 1 overall pick during the 2023 NFL Draft had to give up their 2024 first-round pick to the Chicago Bears. No matter what happens this season, Sanders has to stomach it, suck it up, and play.
There are still a ton of games left. Sanders is capable of breaking out. With games left against the Bucs, Saints, Bears, and Falcons, he could find his groove against some of the worst run defenses. But, as long as he continues that drought, he’s opening the door for Hubbard to continue to steal snaps from him.
While Miles Sanders has struggled, Hubbard is making some noise. On the season, Hubbard has rushed the ball 85 times for 328 yards and 3 TDs with a 3.9 yards per carry average. It’s a team game and when one player is not performing, another will step up.
Truth be told, after the season he had with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022, the Panthers snagged Sanders on a deal of a contract. If he still continues to struggle and with the team so young, there is nothing stopping them from moving on to a younger and cheaper back this coming offseason.
