3 Cowboys Trade Targets to Watch in Training Camp

1. Miles Sanders, RB, Carolina Panthers

One area where the Cowboys could be hurting in 2024 is the ground game. Tony Pollard might not have lived up to the $10 million contract he played under in 2023 but he did give them a credible option in the backfield. He also had more than 1,000 yards rushing in each of the past two years.

He signed with the Tennessee Titans, heading back to the state he grew up in. Dallas didn't want to pay him $8 million per season over three years, which is what the Titans gave him. That might prove to be the right move but the issue is that they didn't adequately replace Pollard.

The Cowboys didn't use a draft pick on any running backs and in free agency, they signed Royce Freeman and Ezekiel Elliott. The Joneses have tried to sell the fan base on Elliott being a starter in the NFL still, they already proved they let their fondness for Zeke cloud their judgment when they signed him to a six-year extension worth $90 million in 2019.

At this point in his career, Elliott can be a solid option in short-yardage situations and the goal line. What he can't be is the lead back. The same is true of Royce Freeman. Even Rico Dowdle, who is their best running back right now, doesn't have a starter pedigree.

That's why Dallas should look for someone they can add to the backfield and Miles Sanders could be an option. Sanders had a strong run with Philadelphia which included a 1,269-yard campaign with 11 touchdowns on the ground in 2022. He signed with the Carolina Panthers in 2023 but had a massive decline, gaining just 432 rushing yards.

It's easy to assume he's no longer a viable option but that entire team was a mess in 2023. Sanders proved on a good offense, that he can move the chains. He might also be available after the Panthers selected Jonathan Brooks in the NFL Draft.

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