NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The NFL Trade Deadline is approaching and the Dallas Cowboys must make some moves. It’s known that Jerry and Stephen Jones have no desire to make the first move but this is one of those cases where they must abandon their way of thinking. There are many holes to fill but the main one has to be finding a capable running back. Enter Miles Sanders of the Carolina Panthers.
The Panthers are in no way to be considered contenders. They already benched their supposed face of the franchise in QB Bryce Young. They traded their best receiver Diontae Johnson to the Baltimore Ravens, so why not go all the way in and get rid of Sanders and his lack of production?
Sanders, since signing with the Panthers in 2023, has carried the ball 183 times for 571 yards and 2 TDs. While the Panthers are not known for having one of the best offensive lines, a change of scenery may be what Sanders needs.
Sanders is not your average back. He has had success at this level. In 2022, while with the Philadelphia Eagles, Sanders made the Pro Bowl with 1269 yards rushing and 11 TDs on the ground. Sanders can play. He will fit nicely within the offense of the Cowboys.
As it stands now, the Dallas Cowboys need help in the backfield to take pressure off of Dak Prescott and the defense. The Cowboys are averaging 74.1 yards on the ground which ranks dead last in the NFL (32nd). Rico Dowdle and Zeke Elliott are not getting the job done. With an abysmal rushing attack, the weight of the offense rests on the throwing of Prescott. This can’t continue if the Cowboys have hopes of turning things around.
Jerry has made comments regarding his reason for not going after Derrick Henry or any other big-name free agent this offseason. That was all his fault for not getting his players signed early. However, times have changed and the football Gods are giving him another chance to right a wrong. The reason for bringing Elliott back is still a head-scratcher and the same can be said for letting Tony Pollard walk out the door.
Now, with Sanders sitting on a contract with a potential out after this season, the Panthers may be willing to part with a player they no longer want to pay or even need with the emergence of Chuba Hubbard. Of course, there will be an odd man or two out. Dalvin Cook is expendable and either of their currents back can be pushed out. That’s how bad it is for their ground game.
Even if the Cowboys were to keep Sanders at his current contract, the money still works out. Sanders signed a 4-year deal worth $24M in 2023. That sets his remaining annual amount at $8M in 2025 and $7M the following season. Yes, it’s more than what Henry would have cost but at this point, however, the Dallas Cowboys have no choice. They need a runner who can hit the lanes with speed and power and one can catch the ball out of the backfield.
Sanders is also a good pass blocker as he has shown during his time in Philly. As far as durability, Sanders is 27 years old but with his non-production while in Carolina, he still has some serious thread left on those tires. He’s everything the Cowboys need but is Jerry Jones willing to shell out the necessary dollars to get his team where he thinks they should be?
