How Miles Sanders, Panthers running backs can set the tone for the upcoming NFL season

When Panthers starting running back Miles Sanders first arrived at Carolina in March, one of the first things he did was tell his running back mates about their new, fiery positional coach.

A guy like Duce Staley warranted such a warning.

“I just told them how Duce was,” Sanders said Tuesday, smiling as if he was hinting that he wasn’t saying all he was thinking.

Staley, after all, is one of the loudest guys on the field at any given moment for the Panthers — whether it be joking with defenders during stretches or willing his running backs through drills — and his reputation for intensity long preceded his arrival at Carolina.

Sanders saw it firsthand, when Staley drafted him in Philadelphia in 2019.

“I just told them to come in, lock in and just be ready to work,” Sanders continued. “Be coachable and he’ll love you.”

The running back room has apparently listened.

In availability Tuesday, ahead of Carolina’s final preseason game at Bank of America Stadium against the Lions on Friday, the Panthers’ running backs coach, a Columbia, S.C., native, raved about everyone in the team’s backfield.

From Sanders on down the depth chart, here’s a look at the state of the Panthers’ running backs.

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A lot has been made of the Panthers’ offense this preseason.

And for good reason.

There’s been a lot of excitement around rookie quarterback Bryce Young, who dazzled the SEC from his arrival at Alabama and was good enough to get the Panthers to trade up to the overall No. 1 pick in this year’s draft. The team went out and added a bunch of pass catchers, too, including veteran Adam Theilen, rookie Jonathan Mingo, tight end Hayden Hurst and others.

Even the offensive line has commanded attention. The unit held a postgame meeting to address the “not acceptable” performance after the preseason-opening loss against the New York Jets that saw Young and Matt Corral suffer a combined five sacks — and the unit’s performance the following week against the Giants wasn’t much better.

But the Panthers’ backfield hasn’t made many headlines.

Why?

Because its best player hasn’t been at full strength.

Sanders missed substantial time in training camp as well as the first two preseason games because of a groin injury. He returned to practice Monday. Head coach Frank Reich said that Sanders is still “TBD” for the team’s final preseason game Friday, and Sanders himself said he will “absolutely” be ready for Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons on the road.

What does Sanders bring to the offense?

“Miles has that dog inside of him that I love, since drafting him in Philly,” Staley said. “His preparation, his focus, just getting back to feeling good after suffering an injury. I tell you what: He’s been working his butt off every day to get back and practice.”

Staley added that he’s seen a more mature Sanders since the two reconnected in Carolina after spending some time apart. (While Sanders stayed with the Eagles, Staley joined the Lions in January 2021 and spent two seasons there.)

“That has a lot to do with age, being older, being in different offenses, understanding these offenses as far as protections and routes,” Staley said of Sanders, who notched 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022 en route to helping the Eagles make the Super Bowl. “And you look at him last year, and I was just really proud of him, what he was able to do in Philly. And the numbers speak for themselves.”

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Running backs to watch behind Sanders

Staley said he “loves all his guys” in the running back room.

Chuba Hubbard, the 2021 draft pick who has taken a bulk of starter snaps in Sanders’ absence during the preseason, is among them. So is Raheem Blackshear, who has carved out an important place in the team as a returner in addition to being in the backfield. Cam Peoples, a 6-foot-1 rookie out of App State, hasn’t yet played in a Panthers’ preseason game — but when asked if he thinks that will change Friday, Staley said, “I do.”

But one guy who has kept getting his name called in camp is Spencer Brown. The 6-foot, 220-pound back has notched 18 carries for 60 yards this preseason and caught two passes for 10 yards. But he’s impressed in practice.

“What a camp he’s had,” Staley said of Brown. “He just goes to work, and I love that about him. He’s not going to complain about anything, no matter his reps. He’s not gonna complain about opportunities. What he’s going to do is take advantage of those opportunities.”

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Sanders, Staley building an identity

It’s no secret that the Panthers’ backfield needed a rebuild when Staley arrived. It’s also no secret that the team’s backfield has been one of its most consistent units year-to-year.

Christian McCaffrey is one of the league’s most dynamic players of the past six years, and when the 2017 draft pick paired with former MVP Cam Newton, Carolina could claim one of the most potent offenses in the NFL.

Even at the beginning of last season, the backfield was solid. McCaffrey was mostly healthy, Hubbard was developing in his second year, and offseason acquisition D’Onta Foreman was a proven vet.

Attrition struck with the end of the Matt Rhule tenure, however. McCaffrey was traded to Super Bowl contender San Francisco, and Foreman was included in a trade to obtain the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

“You’re talking about two good backs, man,” Staley said. “Those guys — Foreman and Christian — those guys had some good years and were able to put on a good show for the fans and be productive.

“I think when you start talking about an identity, you look at us: We want to run the ball. And we won’t let anyone tell us that we have to do anything differently. So you have to have that mentality as a running back. So you have to have that mentality of, ‘When I get in that game, there are going to be times when you get five, six, seven carries in a row.’ So that’s what we’re building as running backs and as an offense collectively.”