CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Miles Sanders arrived at training camp this summer with a newfound motivation, eager to prove he can still be the Carolina Panthers’ No. 1 running back after losing his starting job last season.
And while Sanders remains behind Chuba Hubbard on the depth chart heading into the season opener Sunday at New Orleans, it’s clear that he’s gained ground and is pushing for a bigger share of the workload.
“He has looked fantastic,” Panthers first-year head coach Dave Canales said. “He came into camp with this focus and this seriousness about the way he worked. He is emerging as a leader.”
Frank Reich, who was fired 11 games into his tenure as Panthers head coach last season, planned for Sanders to be the “every down back” after Carolina lured him away from the Philadelphia Eagles with a four-year, $25.4 million contract.
But Sanders’ stock dropped rapidly.
He lost his starting job about a month into …