The Miles Sanders signing has not worked out for the Carolina Panthers, and the team will likely cut the $25 million man at the start of the 2025 league year. A second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Penn State product originally signed with the Panthers following a dominant 1,200-yard Pro Bowl season in Philadelphia. Unfortunately, he couldn’t recapture his magic in Carolina, quickly losing the starting job to Chuba Hubbard in 2023 and never reclaiming the role.
While he showed some life in 2024, he’s not good enough to justify his current salary. Even with second-round pick Jonathon Brooks battling another ACL injury, Hubbard is more than capable of being an adequate starter. Carolina can save over $5.2 million by releasing him and use that money to address a defense with holes on every level. Even though he probably won’t stick around in Carolina, Sanders should earn a high-level backup job with a team like the Kansas City Chiefs or Los Angeles Chargers.
Chiefs, Chargers Could Sign Miles Sanders After Panthers Release
The Kansas City Chiefs found great value in former seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco. Acquired for next to nothing, the ferocious, downhill runner has provided starting-caliber play for bargain prices. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, he will be a free agent at the end of the season and may have played his way out of Kansas City’s price range. The team only has $11.5 million in projected cap space and must use most of that to retain key free agents like Trey Smith, Nick Bolton, and DeAndre Hopkins.
Miles Sanders should not be Plan A for the Chiefs, but the longtime Panthers running back could be an ideal backup and short-term starter if Pacheco leaves. The 2025 NFL Draft is loaded with talent at the running back position, and nobody should be surprised to see the Chiefs invest in a third- or fourth-round running back. While that player may be the future of the Chiefs backfield, Miles Sanders could be an ideal short-term starter or high-end backup if Kareem Hunt calls it a career in the offseason.
Winning In the Trenches
Head coach Jim Harbaugh wants to win games with a strong running game. While he guided the Chargers to the playoffs during his first year at the helm, he didn’t create his envisioned rushing attack. J.K. Dobbins was great when on the field, but the former second-round struggled to stay healthy. Gus Edwards, meanwhile, didn’t play up to his contract and couldn’t recapture his 13-touchdown form from 2023. With Dobbins set to leave as a free agent, this team needs a proven back to guide a young rookie, and Miles Sanders could be the best choice for the job.
While Los Angeles has $63 million in cap space, most of that money should go towards adding a free agent wide receiver and fixing the interior offensive line. Given the surplus of talent in the NFL Draft, the Chargers can survive with a cheap signing like Miles Sanders leading the charge while the rookie gets up to speed.
Main Photo: Dale Zanine – USA Today Sports
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