Who Should I Start? Miles Sanders or James Cook

Tuesday, March 11, 12:41 PM

The Carolina Panthers announced on Tuesday that they have released running back Miles Sanders. This move does not come as a surprise as Sanders' tenure in Carolina was marred by injuries and poor performance. The 27-year-old lost the starting job to Chuba Hubbard in 2023 and averaged only 3.5 yards per carry on 184 rushing attempts for 637 yards and three touchdowns in 27 games (seven starts) in his two seasons with the Panthers, adding 51 receptions (71 targets) for 302 yards and a TD through the air. It was a no-brainer move for Carolina, even though second-year RB Jonathon Brooks (knee) tore his ACL again in 2024 and may miss all of the 2025 season. Sanders played in only 11 games (two starts) last year due to injury and had 205 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 55 carries. He's still young but will probably only land in a change-of-pace role on the open market.

Thursday, February 13, 10:28 AM

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook is seeking a contract extension with the organization. He wants a deal that would pay him $15 million per year. On Wednesday, Cook went on Instagram Live and specifically said, "15 mill." The former Georgia Bulldog is entering the final season of his rookie deal after rushing for at least 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons. Cook found the end zone 18 times in 2024. A $15 million salary would put Cook as the second-highest-paid running back in the NFL behind only Christian McCaffrey.