The Carolina Panthers disappointed from top to bottom in 2023. Enter new coach Dave Canales, who has changed the atmosphere around the squad.
"It's a different type of culture that we're building here that there's been here previously," running back Miles Sanders said Sunday, . "It's nothing but positive vibes, but he's honest. The stuff that we're harping on -- as players, within each other -- he's harping on in the meetings, and then he don't really like say too much on the field. Player-led teams are the ones that have the most success."
Most of the offseason focus has been on Bryce Young's 2023 struggles, but Sanders, after getting the largest multi-year contract of any running back in free agency last season, also disappointed. The 27-year-old running back generated a career-low 432 yards on 129 carries with just one touchdown.
Sanders enters a pivotal season as he battles for reps with presumptive starter Chuba Hubbard. With Jonathon Brooks on the non-football injury list and likely to miss the start of the season, Sanders must come out of the gate well to earn a role.
The veteran running back believes the changes made to the organization will have everyone playing better in 2024.
"It's night and day from last year to this year," he stated. "But that's the whole point of making changes. You hope for the better. So I can say what we got right now is good. We just laying the foundation, and all we gotta do is keep grinding, get better every day."
Carolina's question is whether that foundation is stable enough to withstand the long term or simply temporary and must be replaced again next year.
