3 Panthers Carolina Needs to Start Shopping on Trade Market After Week 5 Blowout
By Jovan Alford
2. Miles Sanders
The veteran running back will probably be the odd man out in Carolina when rookie Jonathon Brooks gets activated off the NFI list. Sanders was signed to a blockbuster four-year deal last offseason and has been playing second-fiddle to Chuba Hubbard.
Hubbard has played well to start the regular season (393 rushing yards and two touchdowns for 68 carries), picking up from where he left off in 2023. In Sunday’s loss against the Bears, he posted 97 rushing yards on 13 carries and a touchdown.
As for Sanders, he’s been a non-factor in the Panthers’ offense. The former Eagles RB has 97 rushing yards on 27 carries and a touchdown in five games this season. He’s also seen some time in the passing game with 10 receptions (14 targets) for 59 yards.
That said, the 27-year-old running back hasn’t looked like the same player we saw over the last few years in Philadelphia. Sanders didn’t do much in Sunday’s game, recording six yards on two carries and two receptions (three targets) for 27 yards.
There hasn’t been a ton of noise about the running back market at the trade deadline. But that will likely change, especially if contenders need a spark in their backfield. It's clear things haven’t worked out for Sanders in Carolina, but a change of scenery could help him be the player we saw in Philly.