The current Carolina Panthers’ roster is hardly a finished product. With about 600 players becoming available after the leaguewide cutdown to 53, a guy’s job on Saturday may disappear by Monday. Plus, Dave Gettleman will do some typical roster churning throughout the next four months.
“If another team makes a mistake,” Carolina’s general manager said this week, “we’ve got to be ready to pounce.”
But after offseason workouts, training camp and four preseason games, here’s how the Panthers’ ‘final’ 53 shakes out.
‘The Wolfpack’ is back for a third season. Newton, the NFL’s reigning MVP, still hasn’t reached his ceiling. Anderson has proved to be a capable backup when needed. Webb hasn’t attempted a pass since 2011, but his ability to morph into a special teams ace has earned him an extended career.
Wegher didn’t match his dynamic 2015 preseason as a running back, but it appeared he had locked up a spot via special teams. This year, though, the Panthers returned to keeping just four backs. Wegher could land on the practice squad, as could Simmons, a Charlotte native who impressed coaches.
Stewart’s 242 attempts last year smashed a career high, and all that work was in just 13 games. As long as he can stay healthy, he should cruise to a 1,000-yard season. Whittaker and Tolbert will get a few touches per game, and Artis-Payne is expected to see an increased workload from his rookie year.
Norwood likely would have been the odd man out, but now he’s headed to injured reserve with a hip injury he suffered in the preseason finale. Garrett should be on the practice squad if he clears waivers.
Receivers coach Ricky Proehl got his wish of getting six wideouts on the roster. Bersin has been slotted to take over the role formerly held by Jerricho Cotchery, and Byrd’s electric spring and turned him into a keeper. While many assume Benjamin will put up the best numbers in this group, Funchess has a chance to become the No. 1 guy. Ginn and Brown: Go long, guys.
Because Lucas just isn’t there as a blocker, the converted WR was released by the Panthers for the fourth time in just over two years. Sandland also struggled with his blocking, but the seventh-round pick could be a practice squad option.
Despite looking hard during the offseason, the Panthers didn’t even find a guy they liked enough to be a fourth TE. The same guys who finished last season will start this one, including Olsen, who’s feeling like himself again after dealing with back spasms last month. The Pro Bowler will again be one of Newton’s favorite weapons while Dickson chips in a reception here and there. With a year under his belt, the Panthers earmarked Simonson for a spot early in camp.
Gettleman said of Scott last week: “He’s better, he’s bigger, he’s stronger, he’s in better shape.” Now we may know why. Scott, who’s played 31 games with the Panthers the past three years, has been suspended the first four games of the season for violating the league’s PED policy. Yankey was also on Gettleman’s list of “pleasant surprises,” so he could wind up on the practice squad. Rigsbee injured his right knee in the preseason finale.
This group is loaded in the middle, starting with Kalil, who’s gone to the Pro Bowl in five of his nine seasons. Turner made his first Pro Bowl in just his second year, and Norwell nearly got in as well. Remmers wasn’t pushed much this summer by Williams, who’s still coming along as a pass blocker. Scott’s suspension opened a spot for Larsen, who hasn’t even been on a practice squad since turning pro in 2014. Carolina is Hawkins’s sixth stop since 2014, but this one may be the charm. He looked solid as a backup LT during the preseason.
The Panthers were excited to see what Miley would show them this summer and it turned out to be not much. A hamstring injury knocked Webster out for all but one preseason game, and he was pretty good against the Steelers. Love signed a 1-year deal to return this spring, but he was pushed by Thomas and Crume throughout camp. Ultimately, the Panthers decided to keep just four DTs.
Unlike last September, Johnson heads into the season healthy. If he can stay that way, a double-digit sack season is certainly possible. As he proved in the Super Bowl, Ealy can show up in spurts. Consistency is now his goal. Addison is a somewhat underrated pass rush specialist. There was some thought the Panthers would part ways with Horton or Delaire, but they each hung on. The middle of the line should be a nightmare for offenses. Waves of Short, Lotulelei, Butler and Soliai will wear out opposing lines.
Blechen spent last year on the practice squad, but the numbers were never in his favor. Jacobs missed the first two preseason games with an ankle injury, then hurt his quad in the fourth.
An embarrassment of riches. Kuechly and Davis are arguably the best LB tandem in the NFL, and Thompson’s set up for a breakout year. He won’t see 100 percent of the snaps, but he’ll spend plenty of time in the slot when the Panthers go to their big nickel package. Klein could play himself into a nice contract elsewhere next spring, and if he does, Mayo should be ready to take over that valuable backup role. Cash and Norris were the two undrafted rookies who made the roster. Cash, a converted safety who’s put on at least 15 pounds, had perhaps the fastest rise of anyone during the preseason. While we were all watching that, Norris was quietly impressing coaches.
Sanchez was Saturday’s biggest shocker, but the fifth-round pick will likely be back for some roster squad seasoning if he clears waivers. Young, Ball and Dixon couldn’t crack through the established guys in front of them while Brown was around for just two days.
Because the defense is built from the inside out, Benwikere will share slot duties with Thompson. That leaves rookies Bradberry and Worley to man the outside, but the Panthers believe they can get through inevitable growing pains as long as the inside is solid and the pass rush works. McClain’s experience puts him on the roster over Sanchez, while Williams and Jones are on for special teams. Coleman and Boston aren’t the league’s strictest last line of defense, but they’re both ballhawks who should be able to force a fair share of turnovers. Marlowe has been out for nearly four weeks, but the Panthers must feel he’s close from coming back from a strained hamstring.
It wasn’t easy making this team. All but 10 of the 53 have been on the Panthers’ roster before, and 40 percent of the draft class was cut. But Lee made it despite being around for just one practice and the preseason finale. Of course, his 13 seasons and three Pro Bowls made for a decent résumé.