Carolina Panthers predicted to cut bait with Pro Bowl talent

First-year head coach Dave Canales helped the Carolina Panthers go from a two-win club to a team that won five games last season. It was a sizable step forward, and much of it was thanks to the positive development of Bryce Young, who improved his touchdown-to-interception ratio from 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions to 15 and 9.

Yet, despite the step forward from the team as a whole, the Panthers still aren’t where they want to be. With the offseason right around the corner, the Panthers are being predicted to move on from a former Pro Bowl player.

Carolina Panthers expected to release Miles Sanders

While the Carolina Panthers need to find ways to upgrade their roster, they can’t just add to the team; they’ll have to create some roster spots, too.

One potential option could be to release running back Miles Sanders, who signed a four-year, $25 million contract in 2023 when Frank Reich was still the team’s head coach. Yet, Reich is long gone and Sanders fell to second-string running back duties under coach Dave Canales.

Now, The Athletic’s Joseph Person predicts the Panthers will move on from Sanders by cutting him from the roster this offseason.

“The writing has been on the wall for Sanders since 2023 when Frank Reich and Duce Staley — Sanders’ two biggest supporters — were fired after 11 games. Sanders, who signed a four-year, $25.4 million deal that year, took on a reduced role behind Chuba Hubbard. Even with backup Jonathon Brooks likely sidelined for 2025 after a second ACL surgery, the Panthers can find cheaper options than the 27-year-old Sanders. The Panthers will create $5.23 million in cap space by cutting Sanders, who will always have his two-touchdown game at Atlanta in Week 18 when Hubbard and Brooks were out. “
The Athletic on Miles Sanders/Carolina Panthers

Sanders will turn 28 before the 2025 season kicks off, but he had just 205 rushing yards and two touchdowns across 11 games and two starts.

Saving over $5 million by releasing a backup running back seems like a wise move for a team that wasn’t contending for a playoff spot last season. Doing so in an offseason where the 2025 NFL Draft class is rich with running back replacements comes with perfect timing.