Panthers News: Miles Sanders, Brady Christensen, playoff hopes and Bryce Young

Carolina Panthers RB Miles Sanders predicted to bust

Miles Sanders has some big shoes to fill next season. The Carolina Panthers are looking for their free-agent signing to become an every-down running back in a similar manner to how Christian McCaffrey was deployed, although it would be a surprise if Frank Reich allocated 30 touches per game in his direction.

The Panthers are relying on Sanders to provide a nice security blanket for rookie quarterback Bryce Young. There is also speculation about wanting to utilize the former second-round selection out of Penn State more in the passing game - something the Philadelphia Eagles moved away from after his rookie campaign.

While hopes are high for Sanders, it's not an opinion shared by Alex Ballentine of The Bleacher Report, who selected the dual-threat weapon as Carolina's biggest bust candidate in 2023.

"The Carolina Panthers made a pretty sizable bet that Miles Sanders can be a star running back for them. In an offseason where it was difficult for running backs to get paid on multi-year contracts, they gave him a four-year, $25.4 million deal. The Panthers should temper expectations, though. Much of Sanders' breakout season last year was due to one of the best offensive lines in football and positive game scripts. Sanders is a solid back with good blocking. But telling a fanbase that just saw Christian McCaffrey in his prime that Sanders is going to be a star is setting them up for disappointment."

- Alex Ballentine, The Bleacher Report

This would be a disaster all things considered, especially considering the investment made in Sannders so soon after getting McCaffrey's hefty contract off the books. However, one would be hard-pressed to see the player fall flat on his face in Reich and Thomas Brown's system.