Miles Sanders Released by Panthers; RB Signed $25M Contract in 2023

The Carolina Panthers are moving on from veteran running back Miles Sanders after two seasons.

The Panthers announced on Tuesday that they have released Sanders, who signed a four-year, $25.4 million contract with the team in 2023. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero noted that Sanders was due a $6.7 million salary in 2025 that included a $1 million roster bonus due on Friday.

Sanders was expected to be the lead back in Carolina when he signed with the team, but he was quickly supplanted by fellow speedster Chuba Hubbard. In 2023, Sanders was limited to 129 carries for 432 yards and a touchdown while Hubbard registered 238 carries for 902 yards and five scores.

With the hierarchy firmly established in 2024, Sanders' production dwindled even further, and in November, Hubbard was rewarded with a four-year, $33.2 million contract extension.

Hubbard ranked eighth in the league this past season with 1,195 yards while adding 10 touchdowns on 250 carries. Sanders missed six games due to an ankle injury and was limited to career lows of 55 carries and 205 yards with two scores in his 11 appearances. The 27-year-old started the final two games of the year when Hubbard suffered knee and calf injuries, and he scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime against the Atlanta Falcons in the regular-season finale.

A second-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft, Sanders spent the first four years of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2022, he enjoyed a breakout campaign in which he registered career highs across the board with 259 carries for 1,259 yards and 11 touchdowns.

If healthy, Sanders can be a serviceable backup in the right situation. He should be an attractive free agent for teams looking to add depth to their backfield.