March 15, 2023

Report: Eagles RB Miles Sanders to sign with the Panthers

Former Eagle Miles Sanders will reportedly sign with the Carolina Panthers, who now have Duce Staley as their assistant head coach and running backs coach.

By Jimmy Kempski
PhillyVoice Staff

The Carolina Panthers will be signing soon-to-be former Philadelphia Eagles running back Miles Sanders, according to a report from Ian Rapoport from NFL Network.

Sources: Miles Sanders is headed to the #Panthers.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 15, 2023

Sanders had a very good season in the stat sheet and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2022 after rushing 259 times for 1,269 yards (4.9 YPC) and 11 TDs, finishing fifth in the NFL in rushing yards. For the first time since 2019, Sanders played in every game, and his 259 carries beat his previous season average of 160 by 99 carries.

However, he has remained a flawed player in many ways.

As a receiver, Sanders had just 20 receptions for 78 yards (3.9 YPR), and 0 TDs. He was pretty much just an early-down back.
He didn't fumble at all during the first 13 games of the season, but he lost fumbles in consecutive weeks against the Bears and Cowboys. He also fumbled twice in the Super Bowl and was fortunate that the one of them — which resulted in a Chiefs defensive touchdown — was overturned on review.
There were times this season when Sanders did a good job of running hard and at least getting the yards that were blocked up for him, but there were other times he reverted back to old habits of leaving meat on the bone.

After the Eagles signed former Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny in free agency, the writing was on the wall that Sanders would soon be finding a new home. In Carolina, he will reunite with his former positional coach, Duce Staley, who is now the assistant head coach and running backs coach for the Panthers.

Update: It's a four-year deal worth $25 million, per David Newton of ESPN.

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