It’s been a steep fall from grace for Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders. In March 2023, he signed a four-year, $25M contract with Carolina; in that time, he fell to third on the depth chart. The Panthers placed Sanders on injured reserve after he was carted off after injuring his ankle two weeks ago during the team’s 20-17 overtime win over the New York Giants, per an official team announcement.
In Sanders’ absence, the Panthers will finally kick the tires on rookie RB Jonathon Brooks, who will make his season debut against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. Head coach Dave Canales talked up Carolina’s second-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of the University of Texas.
“Jonathon Brooks ‘absolutely’ is playing Sunday. He had a great week. He’s been involved with the plan, and he looks confident. He was running hard, he was making cuts, you know, kind of starting to develop the second level part of his runs, which is what I wanted to see. I wanted to see him hit the hole, go through it, see the finish and all that. So, I’m excited to get him out there this week.”
While Brooks will be involved, the Panthers’ backfield belongs to Chuba Hubbard this year. The 25-year-old back averages 81.8 rushing yards per game, the sixth-most in the NFL.
Panthers don’t know what they’re doing
Carolina still has Sanders under contract through 2026. Even if they cut him loose this offseason, millions will hit their dead cap. So they throw more money at Hubbard, securing him to a four-year, $33.2M contract extension. That deal was struck in early November.
The Panthers have $68M in dead cap this year, the fourth-most in the NFL. How is that even possible? They’re still on the hook for guys like Vonn Bell, Hayden Hurst, Donte Jackson and Diontae Johnson for over $9 million each.
Carolina will owe a $31.3M cap hit for right tackle Taylor Moton. While the 30-year-old is an excellent player, 11.5% of a team’s salary cap shouldn’t be spent on a right tackle. Considering the investments made to Moton, Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, the team should be aware that paying up for a running back isn’t necessary.
Related Carolina Panthers NewsArticle continues below
On the bright side, the Panthers will wisely continue to give Bryce Young playing experience. Since being benched in October, he’s started the last three games with mixed results. Canales still believes in the 23-year-old signal caller.
“Bryce will play this week,” Canales said. “This is about the continued progress. It’s about Bryce looking more and more confident as he’s out there. In Germany, I just felt a real confidence and aggressiveness to his play and of course, the end result, winning. He continues to do things to put us in a position to put him back out there and continue to build on that.”
Carolina and Young are on a two-game winning streak. In Week 12, the Panthers host the Chiefs on Sunday, November 24, at 1:00 p.m. EST.