Miles Sanders DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Free-agent running back Miles Sanders plans to sign an undisclosed one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys, sources tell ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Sanders heads to Dallas for the 2025 season after a disappointing two-year run with the Carolina Panthers in which he averaged just 3.5 yards per carry on 184 rushing attempts for 637 yards and three rushing touchdowns in 27 games (seven starts), adding 51 receptions (71 targets) for another 302 yards and a TD through the air. The 27-year-old lost the lead-back role to Chuba Hubbard in 2023 and played in just 11 games (two starts) in 2024 due to injury. Sanders could have a shot to see a bigger workload for the Cowboys after last year's lead back, Rico Dowdle, joined the Panthers in free agency. However, Dallas also brought in former Broncos RB Javonte Williams and could add to the position in what is a deep draft class. At best, Sanders will likely be involved in a committee.

The Carolina Panthers announced on Tuesday that they have released running back Miles Sanders. This move does not come as a surprise as Sanders' tenure in Carolina was marred by injuries and poor performance. The 27-year-old lost the starting job to Chuba Hubbard in 2023 and averaged only 3.5 yards per carry on 184 rushing attempts for 637 yards and three touchdowns in 27 games (seven starts) in his two seasons with the Panthers, adding 51 receptions (71 targets) for 302 yards and a TD through the air. It was a no-brainer move for Carolina, even though second-year RB Jonathon Brooks (knee) tore his ACL again in 2024 and may miss all of the 2025 season. Sanders played in only 11 games (two starts) last year due to injury and had 205 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 55 carries. He's still young but will probably only land in a change-of-pace role on the open market.

Running back Miles Sanders signed a four-year, $25.4 million deal with the Carolina Panthers before the 2023 season, but his biggest supporters, head coach Frank Reich and assistant coach Duce Staley, were fired 11 games into that season. Sanders then took on a backup role behind Chuba Hubbard. The Athletic's Joseph Person writes that the Panthers will create $5.23 million in salary cap space this year by cutting Sanders. Jonathon Brooks is expected to miss the entire 2025 season after a second ACL surgery, but Carolina should be able to find cheaper RB options than Sanders to serve in a backup role to Hubbard. The 27-year-old was a first-time Pro Bowler in his final season with the Eagles in 2022, but he was not the same back in Carolina, averaging only 3.5 yards per carry while racking up 637 rushing yards and only three touchdowns on 184 rushing attempts in 27 games (seven starts).