The Panthers may want to keep one eye on Kansas City as the NFL’s roster deadline creeps closer, because Kristian Fulton could be the kind of veteran corner who suddenly becomes available.
Teams have until 6:00 pm on Sunday, August 30, to trim rosters to 53 players, and that always brings a few unexpected names into the mix. Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report highlighted six players who could end up on the market after cutdown day, and Fulton was one of them.
Fulton entered the league as the 61st overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft by the Tennessee Titans. Over four seasons and 44 games with Tennessee, including playoffs, he put up four interceptions, one sack, a fumble recovery and 25 passes defensed.
He then moved to the Chargers on a one-year deal in 2024 and had a strong season for Jim Harbaugh’s playoff team, finishing with a personal-best 51 tackles and one interception. Last offseason, he landed with the Chiefs on a two-year, $20 million contract.
Kansas City hasn’t gotten much return on that deal so far. Injuries limited Fulton to eight games, his fewest since his rookie year in 2020, and he made only two starts. He wrapped up the year with 16 defensive stops and six passes defensed.
That’s why his name is floating around as a possible cap casualty in a crowded cornerback group. As Davenport put it, “Fulton wasn't terrible when he was on the field,” explained Davenport.
“His 81.7 passer rating against was his best since 2021-but he played just 208 snaps in his first season in Kansas City. And a $13 million cap hit is a lot for a subpackage corner.”
If Fulton does hit the open market, Carolina would at least have a reason to pay attention. The reigning NFC South champions already have one of the league’s stronger secondaries, anchored by Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson.
Horn earned his second Pro Bowl nod in 2025 and led the Panthers with a career-high five interceptions. Jackson, a seven-year veteran, has started every game since arriving by trade from Seattle in 2024 and has seven interceptions overall, including a pick of Matthew Stafford in January’s playoff game against the Rams.
The depth behind them is real, too. Corey Thornton had three interceptions in 2025, Chau Smith-Wade returned an interception for a touchdown in Week 3 against the Falcons, and Dan Morgan used a fourth-round pick in April on Texas A&M corner Will Lee III.
So the question isn’t whether Carolina has talent in the room. It’s whether there’s space for another experienced corner with playoff mileage if Kansas City decides to move on. Before that happens, though, Fulton has to actually make it to the open market.
In Other News...
Bryce Young Faces Fresh Panthers Pressure After Ugly Day Vs Texans
A rough joint practice against Houston was always going to sharpen the focus on Bryce Young, and it did exactly that for the Panthers. Young took four sacks and threw two interceptions as Carolina worked through an ugly day against the Texans, a reminder that every snap this summer comes with a little more scrutiny for a quarterback trying to steady his place at the center of the offense.
Dave Canales moved quickly to frame the bigger picture, confirming Young remains Carolinas franchise quarterback while making clear the front office will handle any long-term contract talks. Young is already entering the 2026 season with a sizable deal on the books, and after last seasons uneven play, the pressure to show progress only grows when days like this pop up in practice. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Turn Final Preseason Tune-Up Into A Last-Chance Roster Fight
With one more joint practice and a preseason game against the Houston Texans still on the calendar, the Panthers are down to the kind of evaluation period that can swing a depth chart in a hurry. For players sitting on the bubble, this is the last real stage to make a case, and the coaching staff will be weighing more than flashes in camp as it sorts out the final 53-man roster.
That makes names like John Metchie, AJ Dillon, Aaron Hall, Darren Waller, Ja'Tavion Sanders, Chandler Zavala and Sam Hecht especially worth tracking over the next stretch. Some of those players appear to be in better shape than others, but for the ones needing a clean finish, the margin for error is gone and the Panthers still have a meaningful test left before decisions get locked in. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Young Just Put Carolina's Next Big Decision In Focus
Bryce Young has moved from question mark to centerpiece in Carolina, at least for now. Panthers head coach Dave Canales made it clear Young is the franchise quarterback and pointed to the progress he has made, a notable shift in tone for a player whose future once felt much less certain.
The contract side is still the part worth watching. Young is already secured through 2027 after the team exercised his fifth-year option, but the Panthers have not worked out a long-term extension yet, leaving Dan Morgan and Brandt Tilis to sort through a decision that could shape the roster well beyond this season. [Read more 🡒]