Already reeling from a 1-3 start, the Panthers on Friday made one of their most surprising in-season releases in recent memory.
According to a league source, Carolina cut cornerback Bené Benwikere five days after he struggled to cover wideout Julio Jones, who had a record-setting Sunday.
The Panthers planned to have James Bradberry shadow Jones, but when the rookie exited early with a toe injury, Benwikere became the corner primarily responsible for covering arguably the league's top wideout.
Jones finished with 12 receptions for 300 yards, the sixth-most all-time for a receiver and the most ever for a Panthers' opponent. Jones's biggest plays were a 53-yard catch in the second quarter and a 75-yard touchdown in the fourth, which both came after he sprinted past Benwikere.
It sounds like the Panthers' decision sounds was purely performance-related. According to Pro Football Focus, Benwikere gave up all but 72 of Jones's 300 yards. Benwikere didn't help his case when he admitted his conditioning wasn't where it needed to be four games into the season.
"I started out doing well, but after that, I just started to get tired, get out of breath," Benwikere said after the game. "That's something for me, definitely me, most of the time I rotate. I just need to take it upon myself to do some extra running after practice."
Benwikere, who broke his leg just above the ankle when trying to tackle Jones last December, was limited throughout spring workouts. He began training camp on the PUP list, and when he returned, he was behind rookie Daryl Worley on the depth chart. But Benwikere regained a starting role on the outside when Worley struggled in the preseason.
To fill Benwikere's roster spot, the Panthers promoted Zack Sanchez from the practice squad, a source said. The fifth-round pick was a surprising release during final cuts.
With Bradberry missing his third straight practice Friday, it looks like he won't play Monday night against the Bucs. That leaves Sanchez, Worley, Robert McClain and Teddy Williams to deal with Tampa's top receiver, Mike Evans.