The 1-5 Carolina Panthers are looking for more draft picks for their latest rebuild, and they could get a late-round selection with a Miles Sanders trade. A second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the former Eagle signed a four-year, $25 million deal with the Carolina Panthers during the 2023 offseason. While nobody expected Sanders to put up Christian McCaffrey numbers in this offense, Carolina believed he could bring a dual-threat presence to the offense.
Instead, the running back proved to be one of the worst signings of the 2023 offseason. Holding the starting job for just five games, Sanders averaged a paltry 3.3 yards per carry before fourth-round pick Chuba Hubbard took control of the backfield. Hubbard maintained the starting job throughout 2023 and 2024, as he currently ranks third in the league in rushing yards. With second-round pick Jonathon Brooks set to make his NFL debut, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell believes the team could trade Miles Sanders to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for a conditional sixth-round pick.
ESPN Predicts Chiefs Trade For Panthers Miles Sanders
The Kansas City Chiefs will be without starting running back Isiah Pacheco for at least the next few weeks. In his absence, old friend Kareem Hunt has done a remarkable job of turning back the clock, recording 171 rushing yards and one touchdown on 41 carries through two games with the team. If Hunt can keep this up, the Chiefs won’t have any problems in their backfield. however, due to the relative uncertainty surrounding both Hunt and Kansas City’s overall depth, they should consider a Miles Sanders trade.
The 2023 version of Kareem Hunt looked washed up, so he may slow down as the hits add up. Even if he doesn’t, the Chiefs need a better backup. Undrafted free agent Carson Steele has not played well in the regular season, Samaje Perine is strictly a receiving back, and Clyde Edwards-Helaire is not a starting-caliber running back. Sending a conditional sixth-round pick to the Panthers in a Miles Sanders trade makes all the sense in the world. If Sanders beats out Edwards-Helaire, the Chiefs will happily part with a sixth-round pick for a competent backup while chasing another Lombardi Trophy. If he can’t, then the Chiefs won’t give up any draft capital.
Will the Panthers Agree?
It takes two to tango in trade talks, and while the Chiefs could use a player like Miles Sanders, the Panthers would be just as happy to part ways with him. Despite their poor record, Carolina does not have much cap space. As of this posting, they’re dead last with just $1.23 million in available spending money. Cap space rolls over from one season to another, so sending Sanders to Kansas City will give Carolina more spending money in 2025. With holes throughout the defense and a glaring need at quarterback, the Panthers will need all the money they can get to fix this roster.
Even looking beyond the finances, the Panthers should see what they have in their young talents. While Chuba Hubbard looks like an adequate bridge starter, the future of this backfield rests in the legs of Jonathon Brooks. Easily the best running back in an admittedly weak 2024 class, the Houston product should make his NFL debut within the next few weeks. With a proven veteran in Hubbard and a high-ceiling youngster in Brooks, Carolina doesn’t have room for Miles Sanders on the gameday roster, so they might as well trade him to a team that could use him.
Main Photo: Bob Donnan – USA Today Sports
