Miles Sanders won't share details, but makes it clear how he feels about Panthers

Cowboys running back Miles Sanders calls time in Carolina a "learning experience."

Jan 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (6) celebrates with teammates after a game-winning touchdown in overtime against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Only one thing has been consistent over these last seven years for the Carolina Panthers - if you don't count losing records, anyway. That would be drama, which has followed this franchise at every turn since Cam Newton's shoulder injury against Pittsburgh that put the team into a tailspin they have yet to break out of.

While they do appear to have found their new QB1 with Bryce Young, there's still a whole lot of dysfunction and dissatisfaction going around. The latest entry in this long-running saga is former Panthers running back Miles Sanders, who's mean-mugging his way out of the building.

11 days ago Carolina released Sanders after initially trying to get him to agree to a paycut. Sanders apparently refused, but landed on his feet quickly with the Dallas Cowboys. In a bizarre twist, former Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle ended up replacing Sanders for Carolina, which amounted to a massive upgrade for their third-down role behind Chuba Hubbard.

Sanders won't go into specifics, but he did make it clear in his opening press conference with the Cowboys' media that he wasn't happy with the Panthers. Here's a portion of what he said, per the team website.

"These last two years, I don't really have much to say... I guess I'd say I handled the situation as best I could, there was a lot of things out of my control that I would not like to speak on and just keep it in house, so I'll just keep it at that... Definitely a learning experience, you just have to control what you can control..."

Oct 27, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (6) before the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Sanders was coming off a Pro Bowl season with the Philadelphia Eagles when Carolina first signed him to a four-year, $25.4 million deal with $13 million guaranteed. That contract aged poorly, and fast. Sanders didn't see much action behind Hubbard in 2023, totaling 432 yards on 129 carries and two touchdowns. His workload was even lighter in 2024, posting just 205 yards and two touchdowns as he was relegated to a mostly third-down role.

Sanders probably has a legitimate beef, here. It's not his fault that the Panthers signed him to a bad contract - and gizen the size of it he had a right to expect a larger share in the offense. Picking the top running back in the 2024 NFL draft class (Jonathon Brooks) was another RB move that's aged poorly, and it almost certainly didn't make Sanders feel any better about his future with Carolina.

As for his future in Dallas, at the moment Sanders projects as their primary backup behind Javonte Williams. However, the Cowboys are expected to draft a running back - and early. Adding a talent like Ashton Jeanty would effectively obliterate whatever the current pecking order is at this spot.

For now, the Panthers' depth chart here consists of Hubbard at the top, followed by Dowdle, then Emani Bailey. That's not enough depth to go around, so the Panthers will probably be using another draft pick on this position and they recently scheduled two top-30 meetings with RB prospects.

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