It took long enough, but the Carolina Panthers finally notched their first win of the season on Sunday. Oh, and they also might’ve finally given us a little glimpse into the future.
Here are the top takeaways from Week 8’s snap counts:
Lack of Mileage
Whether it’ll be attributed to the “feel of the game” or his shoulder injury, running back Miles Sanders was hardly seen on Sunday.
After missing out in Miami and taking in the break, the perceived lead dog of the backfield received the fewest rushing attempts (two) for Carolina in his return. Chuba Hubbard, who may have commandeered said title, actually led the way with 15 carries while third-stringer Raheem Blackshear picked up three.
Sanders, in total, played just 12 offensive snaps—accounting for a season-low 18-percent presence. With his two-tote, zero-yard performance, he’s now averaging 3.0 yards per carry right off signing a four-year, $25.4 million deal in free agency.
Needle in a Hay stack
Like Sanders, tight end Hayden Hurst has not given the Panthers much return on their investment thus far.
The former first-round pick, who inked on with a three-year, $21.7 million pact, also put up a zero in the yardage column and also saw his lowest amount of burn. Hurst reeled in no catches off two targets, one of which was a painful drop, while playing a season-low 33 percent of the offensive snaps.
Tommy Tremble, who scored his second touchdown in the last three weeks, paced Carolina’s tight ends at a 54-percent presence.
Lettin' the rooks cook
Save for guard Chandler Zavala, who did not play, each member of the Panthers’ 2023 draft class might’ve just had their best pro outing yet.
Quarterback Bryce Young, more than ever this season, looked like the No. 1 overall pick this organization selected—and he got some help from wideout Jonathan Mingo. The second-rounder recorded career-highs in snap share (99 percent) and receiving yards (62), even with a pretty rough drop.
Outside linebacker DJ Johnson and safety Jammie Robinson also saw their highest shares of the year—going for 50 percent and 20 percent, respectively. They combined for nine tackles.
