The Carolina Panthers never stand still under general manager Dan Morgan. He is always seeking ways to raise standards and increase competition wherever possible. And even the seemingly set position groups are not exempt from upgrades.
That was once again evident this week. The Panthers confirmed the signing of running back Miles Davis following a successful workout. It might come to nothing, but those in power were impressed enough to see if the backfield threat could make his presence felt in the weeks and months ahead.
Davis is a physically imposing back at 6-foot-2 and over 200 pounds. The first four years of his college career at BYU were underwhelming at best, with injuries denting momentum enough that he never got a consistent run.
Carolina Panthers shake up running back dynamic with Miles Davis signing
Using his final year of eligibility, Davis transferred to Utah State. This was a shrewd move, with the player roaring his way to 731 rushing yards and eight touchdowns with a 5.6 yards per carry average. Unfortunately, this was not enough to hear his name called during the 2026 NFL Draft.
While disappointing, it gave Davis the chance to explore his options. He made his tryout with the Panthers matter, and he'll now look to make his presence felt at OTAs and the mandatory minicamp. And, if he makes it that far, training camp will be next on the agenda.
Nobody will be getting too ahead of themselves. Davis is starting from the bottom. It'll take a massive effort to convince the coaching staff that he's worthy of a practice squad spot, let alone a place on the active roster. Much will depend on how many running backs the Panthers take through, but three positions are already locked up.
Chuba Hubbard will lead the charge. There is enormous excitement around Jonathon Brooks, who is making his long-awaited return from another torn ACL. The Panthers are also still high on Trevor Etienne, who flashed rookie promise as a kick returner but was used sparingly on the offensive rotation.
Couple this with the presence of veteran free-agent signing A.J. Dillon, and the size of the task awaiting Davis couldn't be steeper. At the same time, he's got his foot in the door. But if he can thrive during practices and the preseason, it might be enough to get a practice squad berth to see if additional development arrives.
Time will tell, but the Panthers see something that could potentially be molded into something more. Whether he can or not remains to be seen.
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