At 1-4, the Carolina Panthers are officially on to 2025 and could trade veterans like Miles Sanders for whatever they can get. While quarterback Andy Dalton brought some much-needed life to this offense, the fact is the team couldn’t overcome the dismal defense. This isn’t a surprise, as Carolina had too many holes to address in one offseason and spent the past few months adding talent to the offensive side of the ball. With the offensive line and weapons dramatically improved, head coach Dave Canales will address the quarterback and defense in the upcoming offense. He’ll need draft picks to do that, and the team could part ways with Miles Sanders to make that happen.
Signed to a decent contract during the 2023 offseason, Sanders has been one of the team’s biggest disappointments in recent years, which is saying something. The former Eagle never carved out a role for himself, losing the starting job to Chuba Hubbard and never looking like much as a backup. With second-round pick Jonathon Brooks set to return and with Hubbard ranked fifth in rushing yards, the Panthers could trade Miles Sanders for whatever they can get. Bleacher Report believes the first step in Carolina’s latest rebuild should be trading Sanders, and the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens could be interested.
Panthers Urged to Trade Miles Sanders – Cowboys, Ravens Could Bite
The Dallas Cowboys entered the offseason without a clear plan at running back. After losing Tony Pollard to the Tennessee Titans, Dallas entered the season with career backup Rico Dowdle and an aging Ezekiel Elliott fighting for touches. While Dowdle has looked decent, he’s nobody’s idea of a 200-touch running back, while Elliott’s best days are clearly behind him. Historically speaking, Jerry Jones values the running back position, as he used a top-five pick on Elliott in 2016 and gave Pollard $10 million for one year of work in 2023. Because of this, he could make a low-risk trade for Miles Sanders to add some juice to this backfield.
Sanders was a product of Philadelphia’s offensive line, and the former second-round pick is not a special talent. However, he won’t need to be to earn touches in this backfield. The present-day version of Sanders is likely better than Elliott, and adding another competent back to the picture should keep Dowdle from falling apart down the stretch. Jones says the team didn’t have the financial resources to go after a proven star like Derrick Henry in free agency, but a Miles Sanders trade should be well within the Cowboys budget.
Backing Up Excellence
Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry might be the first player in history to defeat Father Time. Despite being on the wrong side of 30 and having over 2,100 carries to his name, the former second-round pick remains the gold standard of dominant downhill rushing. Through five games, the Alabama product leads the league with 572 rushing yards while averaging an absurd 6.0 yards per carry. Miles Sanders will not steal Henry’s job, but Baltimore could trade to ensure they have some reliable depth behind their superstar.
The Ravens recently gave running back Justice Hill a two-year extension, but the former fourth-round pick is better off as a special teams weapon with occasional offensive usage. The wild card here is former undrafted free agent Keaton Mitchell. The running back dominated in a small sample as a rookie, averaging 8.4 yards per carry before suffering a season-ending ACL injury. Mitchell is still rehabbing the injury, but he’s more than capable of backing up Henry if he can recapture his old form. However, if he’ll need time to build up his strength, the Ravens could trade for Miles Sanders as a short-term backup.
Main Photo: Jim Dedmon – USA Today Sports
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