The Carolina Panthers got an unexpected shakeup a few weeks into training camp when LaBryan Ray decided to retire, and that move may have opened the door wider for an undrafted rookie fighting for a roster spot.
Carolina announced Tuesday that Ray is done with the NFL after spending the last three seasons with the Panthers. He’s walking away at 28, and his departure leaves behind snaps that somebody on the depth chart now has to claim.
"The Panthers have announced LaBryan Ray’s retirement. He wasn’t at practice today," The Charlotte Observer' Mike Kaye said. "Ray played in more games for DC Ejiro Evero over the past three seasons than anyone on the current roster."
That’s a significant chunk of experience out the window. Since 2023, Ray appeared in 46 games and made 10 starts. He played as much as 54% of the snaps in 2024, then was on the field for 19% in 2025, which means there’s real playing time available for the younger defensive linemen behind him.
One of the players pushing to seize that opening is Aaron Hall, the Panthers’ undrafted free agent out of Duke. He’s been one of the louder training camp stories around Carolina, and his teammates have noticed.
"I'd say Aaron Hall, for sure. I did not know he was that twitchy," defensive tackle Cam Jackson said during OTAs when asked about rookies who had stood out the most.
"Just how he gets off the ball, for real. He's a smart player, still learning, but just his motor -- he's got a high motor, for sure," Jackson added.
Hall’s athletic profile already turned heads when he signed with Carolina. Kent Lee Platte gave him a Relative Athletic Score of 9.67 out of 10 based on his pre-draft testing numbers.
That momentum has carried into camp, where Hall has kept drawing attention.
"Looking forward to seeing rookie DL Aaron Hall (undrafted out of Duke) Thursday in Canton," Joe Person of The Athletic said after Carolina's latest practice of training camp.
The buzz is real, but Hall still has to prove it when the lights come on. His first shot comes Thursday, when the Panthers face the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game.
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