The Carolina Panthers officially placed Miles Sanders on the injured reserve, and this latest injury could spell the end of his tenure with the team. The Panthers did not officially rule out Sanders for the duration of the season, but the IR designation means he must miss at least four weeks of action. While head coach Dave Canales never gave an official timeline for his recovery, nobody should be surprised if the 3-8 Panthers choose to sit him for the rest of the season and roll with second-round pick Jonathon Brooks and the recently extended Chuba Hubbard.
Sanders originally joined the Panthers as a free agent signee in the 2023 offseason. Agreeing to a four-year, $25 million deal, the former Philadelphia Eagle was supposed to replace Christian McCaffrey as the starting running back in this offense. Unfortunately, Sanders was one of the league’s least efficient runners and lost the starting job despite the heavy financial commitment from the team. With no guaranteed money on his contract in 2025, it’s safe to assume Carolina will cut him during the offseason.
The Sanders signing did not work out for the Panthers, but he should land another job. He probably won’t earn a full-time starting role, but Miles Sanders could find a home with the Kansas City Chiefs or Dallas Cowboys, assuming he doesn’t have any long-term injury concerns.
Miles Sanders Injury Could Spell the End of Panthers Tenure
The 2024 season proved that the Kansas City Chiefs do not have an adequate backup running back. Isiah Pacheco is a fine starter, but Kansas City must find a better backup plan. The former seventh-round pick missed a sizable portion of the season, forcing the team to entrust the backfield to old friend Kareem Hunt. While the longtime veteran had his moments throughout the season, he’s well past his prime and isn’t getting any younger.
Perhaps undrafted free agent Carson Steele can make the Year 2 leap, but the Chiefs should invest in a veteran who can handle snaps if Steele doesn’t develop over the offseason. Miles Sanders is no superstar, but the Panthers running back showed some signs of life in a reduced role prior to his injury. Head coach Andy Reid and his scheme get the best out of every running back that walks through the door, so perhaps Sanders can have a career renaissance catching passes from Patrick Mahomes and running behind an elite interior offensive line.
Rebuilding America’s Team
The Dallas Cowboys have some work to do. Following one of the last-inspiring “all-in” campaigns in recent memory, the team will likely part ways with head coach Mike McCarthy and hire a new coach to reshape the team in his image. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb aren’t going anywhere, but the rest of the offense could use some work. Rico Dowdle has done as well as could be expected as the starting running back, but he’s better off in a depth role. Miles Sanders may not be a starting-caliber back at this stage in his career, but the veteran could add a much-needed set of legs to the offense.
With Ezekiel Elliott slowing down, Dowdle has effectively been the workhorse back in Dallas. The former undrafted free agent proved he can be an adequate starter, but he’s not good enough to receive this massive workload. Adding a complementary starter like Miles Sanders should bring out the best in both players, especially if the Cowboys draft someone like Ohio State’s Quinshon Judkins as the long-term answer in the backfield.
Main Photo: Bob Donnan – USA Today Sports
