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Panthers Giving Vet One Last Chance to Boost Stock Before Offseason

After being placed on IR in late November, Miles Sanders will get another chance to showcase his skills in Week 18 against the Atlanta Falcons.

By Jovan Alford

Dec 8, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Dec 8, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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The Carolina Panthers will wrap up the 2024 regular season on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons, who are fighting for their playoff lives. Carolina will try to end the season on a good note after getting blown out by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week.

The Panthers don’t have much to play unlike the Falcons, but Week 18 represents one last chance for several players to make that final impression on the coaching staff before the offseason begins.

One of those players who will hope to make one last impression is veteran running back Miles Sanders. Sanders was placed on injured reserve in late November after suffering an ankle injury in Week 10 against the New York Giants.

Earlier this week, head coach Dave Canales said the veteran running back was cleared to return after his IR stint.

""Miles has been cleared," Canales said, via the team’s website. "Last week, he was cleared to be able to play, so I'm really looking forward to getting him back on the field for practice this week. He was cleared later in the week, so it really wasn't enough time to get him back into the flow of things for this week, but really looking forward to opening that window and getting him back out there.""

On Wednesday, ESPN’s David Newton reported that Sanders has been designated for return to practice and could play on Sunday.

Last week, the Panthers’ ground attack struggled against the Buccaneers as Mike Boone and Raheem Blackshear had a mediocre 31 yards. 

Sanders will look to boost Carolina’s running game and put out some good film, not only for the Panthers but the other 31 teams in the league. Sanders has a potential out in his contract after this season, clearing the way for him to become a potential free agent.

The former Eagles running back joined Carolina on a four-year, $25 million in 2023, but has been surpassed by Chuba Hubbard, who has emerged as one of the underrated starting running backs in the league.

Sanders was the RB2 for most of the season before rookie running back Jonathon Brooks made his NFL debut in late November. In limited action this season, the veteran has 139 yards on 38 carries (10 games).

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