CBS Sports: To replace Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys Trade Pitch Lands a Carolina Panthers Pro Bowl RB in a Blockbuster Deal.

The Dallas Cowboys (3-2) are still in the running for the season after narrowly defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football in Week 5. However, if they want to be a serious contender in January, they will need to strengthen their run game. With just 420 yards gained as a club through five weeks, Dallas has the second-worst running offense in the NFL. According to NFL.com, the Cowboys are tied for 31st place in the league with just two rushing touchdowns, and they are second-to-last in the league at 3.5 yards per carry.

The era of the great QB/RB duo of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, who turned Dallas into one of the league’s most formidable attacks and had other teams choose between a punishing run game and a lightning-fast passing approach, seems to be over.

However, by acting before the league’s November 5 trade deadline, the Cowboys can alter that—or at least attempt. On Tuesday, October 8, CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin wrote a trade proposal that would see Dallas acquire Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders.

“[Cowboys owner] Jerry Jones didn’t want to pay for Derrick Henry, so he might require Carolina to eat some of Sanders’ deal,” wrote Benjamin. “But the former [Philadelphia] Eagles standout would at least give Dak Prescott more proven run support.” The 27-year-old Sanders is participating in the second year of a four-year deal that has a total value of $25.4 million. According to Pro Football Reference, he had 1,269 rushing yards, 11 ground touchdowns, and 20 receptions for 78 receiving yards with the Eagles in 2022, earning him Pro Bowl honors.

The Panthers (1-4) are likely keen to cut Sanders’ contract and may be prepared to withhold some salary in exchange if dealing him to a team like the Cowboys returns a significant asset, most likely a Day 3 pick between the fifth and seventh rounds of the 2025 draft. This is because Chuba Hubbard has a firm hold on the starting running back spot in Carolina. Elliott has only carried the ball 30 times this season for 98 yards and one touchdown. Elliott led the league in rushing in two of his first three years in the NFL. The Cowboys’ top rusher, Rico Dowdle, has amassed 221 yards on 54 carries. This year, he has not scored a touchdown on the ground.