Eddy Pineiro - Carolina Panthers K
Eddy Pineiro held out the last offseason amid reported unhappiness regarding his contract status. He'll be lucky to get a reprieve from the Carolina Panthers this time around.
Pineiro might be statistically sound, but confidence has faded regarding his ability beyond 40 yards or coming through in crucial moments. The former Florida star could get a short-term arrangement and enter a kicking competition with someone throughout the summer. There's a high chance Carolina will take this opportunity to upgrade.
There is no room for sentiment in Dan Morgan's decision-making process. The general manager needs to improve almost every position group. If that means ruffling some feathers by making Pineiro surplus to requirements, so be it.
Carolina cannot settle with Pineiro and look at the misleading statistics. The eye test indicates a new kicker is needed. That's not up for discussion upon further examination of the player's overall body of work in 2024.
Miles Sanders - Carolina Panthers RB
There were huge expectations on Miles Sanders' shoulders when he joined the Panthers in 2023 free agency. The running back was coming off a Pro Bowl campaign with the Philadelphia Eagles, which was enough for those in power at the time to proclaim him the long-term successor to Christian McCaffrey. That didn't go according to plan.
Sanders dealt with injuries and poor performance throughout his first season with the franchise. He lost the starting backfield job to Chuba Hubbard and never got it back. The former second-round selection became an afterthought within Dave Canales' scheme, utilized more as a pass-catching asset than anything else.
Couple this with another trip to injured reserve, and it's not hard to see why Sanders' future beyond 2024 looks bleak. He did come back in Week 18 to help a decimated backfield, but that shouldn't mean much in the grand scheme of things.
Cutting the Penn State product with one year remaining on his deal saves the Panthers around $5 million to better spend elsewhere. It would be jaw-dropping if Sanders was still on the roster in 2025.
Brady Christensen - Carolina Panthers OL
Brady Christensen's proven his worth as a dependable option capable of manning all five positions on the offensive line. This versatility and productivity won't go unnoticed around the NFL when free agency arrives.
Christensen filled in admirably for starting center Austin Corbett after he went down with a torn bicep. The Panthers had to shift the former third-round selection over to the blindside when Ikem Ekwonu went down. Once the left tackle returned, those in power sent him to the bench in favor of Cade Mays.
It's a tough business.
If the Panthers let Christensen test the market, which seems like the most realistic outcome, then he won't be short of offers. It's about finding where he could potentially go from a swing backup to a starter more than any financial benefits attached at this stage of his career — something Carolina cannot guarantee depending on what happens with Corbett.
Making Christensen an offer seems almost certain. Whether he'd accept it is highly debatable.
More Carolina Panthers news and analysis
feed