The Big Lead

Cowboys signing Miles Sanders a low-risk potential fix for run game

By Sam Westmoreland

Jan 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (6) runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons in the third quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Jan 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders (6) runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons in the third quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
facebooktwitter

The Dallas Cowboys bolstered their run game on Thursday, signing running back Miles Sanders to a one-year contract, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Sanders, 27, spent two disappointing seasons with the Carolina Panthers after inking a four-year, $25.4 million contract there in 2023. He struggled to make an impact in year one, and barely played last season as Chuba Hubbard had his breakout campaign.

RELATED: The Super Bowl champions are going to be just fine after stockpiling draft picks

However, in Sanders, the Cowboys may have the answer to their running back puzzle.

Prior to his disappearance in Carolina, Sanders had a breakout 2022 campaign in Philly. He ran for 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns, and looked every bit the superstar back he'd been in college.

Dallas had some success running the ball last year; Rico Dowdle broke 1,000 yards, and averaged 4.6 yards per carry, but collectively, there wasn't much to get excited about. Dallas ranked 27th in rushing yards and scored just six touchdowns on the ground.

Sanders still has plenty of gas in the tank at 27, and there's a strong case to be made that he was just a lousy fit in an offense that couldn't find anything working most of the time in Carolina. Dallas has a better offensive line, a quarterback who is more ready to roll in the NFL, and an offensive scheme that could give Sanders more room to work than he ever had with the Panthers.

To make him even more appealing to Cowboys fans, if he continues to struggle like he did in Carolina, it's a fairly cheap one-year contract, so you're not exactly losing much sleep over it.

At the very least, he's a more reliable second option than Ezekiel Elliott was last year.

This deal is a win-win for everyone involved. If Sanders shines, he can get a bigger contract next season someplace like, say Arizona, while the Cowboys get a year of a stellar one-two punch at running back, and a pair of backs who can finally give them some points rushing the ball. If he doesn't, it didn't cost the Cowboys an arm and a leg, and everyone can move on next season to trying to find the next answer.

MORE TOP STORIES from The Big Lead
NFL: Latest mock drafts have Sanders falling
MLB: ‘Overlap’ hat fiasco continues
NBA: Stephen Curry is still hungry for more
SPORTS MEDIA:NBC retains Olympic rights

Home/NFL