The Carolina Panthers were embarrassed 40-7 by the Washington Commanders on Sunday, dropping their record to an NFL-worst 1-6. The Panthers are currently scheduled to own the No. 2 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. General manager Dan Morgan should be a seller at the upcoming trade deadline (November 5).
Veteran running back Miles Sanders could garner interest from playoff contenders. Sanders is signed through 2026 on an affordable contract. He's struggled in Carolina this season, rushing for just 132 yards and a touchdown while averaging 4.0 yards per carry.
The Panthers also expect to get rookie running back Jonathon Brooks on the field soon, further making Sanders expendable. Brooks was a second-round pick and is Carolina's future starter. We've identified three potential landing spots for Sanders via trade.
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are currently fielding one of the worst rushing attacks in the entire league. They're averaging 29th-ranked 94.3 ground yards per contest. The Zack Moss signing has not worked out. Moss is averaging a lackluster 3.3 yards per carry. In Sunday's victory over the Cleveland Browns, he rushed for seven yards via six carries.
The Bengals could save nearly $3.5 million against the 2025 cap by releasing Moss during the upcoming offseason. Duke Tobin must reserve financial wiggle room for the inevitable Ja'Marr Chase extension, but the Bengals are scheduled to possess $50 million in effective cap space this summer. Acquiring Sanders could help their struggling run game, which is contributing to their underwhelming 3-4 record.
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones is on a one-year contract worth $7 million. The aging veteran is already dealing with some injuries as well. He's been a consistent performer for Kevin O'Connell's offense this season, but the Vikings lack the depth required at the position to survive any potential absence.
The Vikings own the 17th-ranked rushing offense, largely because nobody is productive behind Jones. Jones is averaging 5.2 yards per carry, but Ty Chandler is only producing 3.4 yards per attempt. Pairing Sanders with Jones would give the Vikings a much better duo in the backfield, and it would also protect them against injury, maybe even encouraging them to allow their starter time to properly heal. With Sanders on a multi-year contract, he could also serve as a succession plan.
Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor is dealing with a high-ankle sprain that has already caused him to miss three consecutive contests. Tyler Goodson and Trey Sermon have formed a below-average duo in his absence. There's concern that Taylor will miss additional time, too. The Colts worked out rookie running back Austin Jones earlier this week, sources confirmed to The Draft Network.
The Colts are 4-3, currently occupying a wild-card spot in the AFC. Flipping a late day-three selection to Carolina in exchange for Sanders would help all parties involved survive the remainder of the regular season. A better backup plan is required behind the oft-injured Taylor.
