When it comes to running backs and money, the Carolina Panthers and Miles Sanders were a bit of an anomaly this offseason. Nonetheless, the fifth-year veteran isn’t looking to harp on it that much.
Even in the midst of what’s been perhaps the most depreciated market for the position, Sanders was able to get himself a pretty sweet four-year, $25.4 million deal a few months back. So when asked for his thoughts about the ongoing situation on Tuesday, he didn’t venture to expand on what’s already been said in regards to the “difficult” climate.
“I said my thoughts a lot,” Sanders said during move-in day for training camp. “Had a couple interviews and stuff. But as of right now, I’m at where I’m at. I got my contract. Just lookin’ forward to playing for my new home. That’s all I can worry about right now.”
Here, from an interview with The Rich Eisen Show last month, are said thoughts:
“You want to franchise tag and create a certain market for running backs just because you have this way of thinking that they only last three or four years. I think it’s B.S., honestly. Almost every running back is underpaid right now. I don’t know what it’s gonna take. That’s a topic that needs to be brought up a little more because it sucks to be a running back right now, honestly.”
Right before Sanders spoke to reporters, Saquon Barkley—one of the main subjects of the saga—surprisingly came to a deal with the New York Giants. To avoid a holdout, Barkley agreed to a new one-year, $11 million pact—which will give him the opportunity to outearn the franchise tag by about $1 million.
But with that extra cash tied up as incentives to some gaudy benchmarks, maybe Sanders didn’t really have to add much to his thoughts after all.
