The Carolina Panthers won’t wait until the deadline to start trimming their roster. Head coach Dave Canales said Friday night that the cuts will begin on Saturday, with the team expected to move in waves as it works toward the initial 53-man roster.
Canales made the comment after Carolina’s preseason finale win over the Houston Texans, and he said the process is about more than just whittling the roster down. It also opens the door for players around the league to get another look.
"They'll be in waves," Canales replied. "We'll start tomorrow [Saturday], with some guys.
And it really goes both ways for us-when guys become available, it gives them a better opportunity to kinda be exposed to the rest of the league to see if people are watching their film. And then, of course, just kinda making those decisions.
"And the trickiest part with the practice squad is you're limited to how many veteran players you can keep-maximum six out of that group. So, that's a lot to work through-as we look at the 53, then we look at veteran players we're thinking of having come back."
NFL teams must get down to their initial 53-man rosters by 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday for the 2026 season. After that, clubs will turn to building their 16- or 17-player practice squads.
Once the cuts are in, the next day brings another round of roster movement, with front offices able to claim players who land on the waiver wire during cutdown day.
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