Jonathon Brooks' injury blow could give Miles Sanders surprising 2025 reprieve

With news arising that second-round rookie running back Jonathan Brooks suffered a torn ACL in the Carolina Panthers’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the media has been busy looking into who could serve as the team's RB2 behind Chuba Hubbard in 2025.

Brooks’ injury, which occurred after only three games back from another torn ACL he incurred during his final year in college, could potentially sideline him through the entire 2025 season. It’s a brutal blow for the former Texas Longhorns standout, who entered the draft widely viewed as the best running back in the class despite the medical red flags.

His injury also raises questions for 2025. Hubbard is unquestionably entrenched as the Panthers’ RB1 after a career year in 2024. But without Brooks, the depth behind him looks thin.

Writers and analysts have been busy exploring options in the draft and free agency, from Arizona State superstar Cam Skattebo to a return for journeyman D’Onta Foreman. Dan Morgan has options, whether they be for the short or long-term.

Another option for the Panthers would be to do nothing. This is accomplished by giving Miles Sanders another run with two years remaining on his deal.

Miles Sanders provides Carolina Panthers with a possible short-term solution

Sanders signed a four-year, $25.4 million contract with the Panthers during the 2023 offseason. This was part of a large retooling of offensive assets under new head coach Frank Reich.

The expectation was Sanders would continue to improve from his career-best 2022 season with the Philadelphia Eagles. Behind a much worse offensive line and with the Panthers unable to develop any kind of downfield offensive game under Reich, he struggled mightily and ultimately ceded his starting job to Hubbard.

Reich was fired and replaced by Dave Canales. He didn’t seem to find much use for Sanders on the roster amidst the potential one-two punch of Hubbard and Brooks.

Sanders’ contract made him a poor option to cut, as he would have saddled the team with nearly $10.5 million in dead money. Canales attempted to feature him in the offense while Brooks rehabbed his first ACL tear in hopes of finding a trade suitor. This did not materialize.

Cutting Sanders at the end of the season seemed inevitable — a prediction the Panthers seemed to confirm when they assigned him to injured reserve after their Week 10 game in Germany against the New York Giants.

Brooks’ injury could alter the plan. Sanders is due $8.2 million in 2025. If he is cut after June 1, he would incur roughly $1.5 million in dead money hit but the team would save $6.7 million.

The Panthers could save a little bit of money by cutting Sanders and bringing in a low-cost veteran, but it would not be much. And there is no guarantee this person would be an upgrade.

Drafting someone like Skattebo is enticing. But after the resources spent on Brooks in 2024, it would be curious to allocate even more draft assets toward a running back. This also adds another player who will be under contract on the team for the next several seasons, which would bloat the depth when the second-rounder returns.

Sanders knows the team and Canales’ playbook. He would be well rested, returning from a questionably designated season-ending injury. His role on the team, to spell Hubbard for a few snaps a game, would also be clear.

While many fans won't like the idea, it might be the easiest short-term fix for the Panthers while they wait for Brooks to rehab. Given the number of holes up and down the rest of their roster, easy fixes that leave a team’s draft cabinet intact are not always a bad thing.

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