The Carolina Panthers’ first practice with their final 53-man roster brought a little bit of everything, but the biggest takeaway was simple: more good than bad.
Chuba Hubbard was back on the field Monday, and that matters plenty with Week 1 approaching. Haynes King also returned, while Xavier Legette joined them after missing time.
On the other side of the ledger, Jonathon Brooks was working off to the side with soreness. Dave Canales said Brooks sat out because of that soreness, and while the Panthers are clearly being careful, the timing is still worth watching.
Brooks last did anything at the joint practice almost a week ago, so this is not the kind of update anyone wants to hear with the opener so close.
Darren Waller was also on the side as part of what has been a slow ramp-up. Even so, there’s a positive here too: both Waller and Bobby Okereke were on the field, even if neither fully participated.
That’s at least a step in the right direction for two players who should matter a lot. Okereke appears set to start, and Waller looks like he’ll be used heavily on offense, so getting both up to speed should be a major priority this week and next.
The tight end room is one of the most interesting parts of this roster. Carolina kept five of them: Ja'Tavion Sanders, Mitchell Evans, Feleipe Franks, Darren Waller, and Tommy Tremble.
That kind of depth could give Brad Idzik and Dave Canales more room to get creative, and it points toward plenty of 13 personnel usage this season. At the same time, all those bodies create a built-in tradeoff.
More tight ends on the roster means fewer snaps for each individual player. Waller’s workload could be cut into by Evans and Tremble, and the reverse is true as well.
It helps the team, but it complicates things for the players.
Tommy Tremble said the room wasn’t shocked by Carolina keeping five tight ends.
The injury updates from Dan Morgan offered some encouragement, too. He said Ikem Ekwonu, Taylor Moton, and Turk Wharton will all be available at some point this season, though he added, "When that is, I don't know." Morgan gave similar outlooks for Brady Christensen, Trevor Etienne, and Bam Martin-Scott.
Not everyone was spotted at practice, but Monday still delivered a few reasons for optimism. For a team trying to get through the final stretch before Week 1, that counts for something.
In Other News...
Panthers Backfield Concerns Just Brought Home A Familiar Name
The Panthers turned to a familiar roster-building move on Sept. 3, signing running back Ahmani Marshall to the practice squad while releasing offensive lineman Isaia Glass in a corresponding transaction. Marshall arrives with some recent NFL background, having spent time in Browns camp and on Clevelands practice squad before being cut, and Carolina is clearly looking for help in the backfield after injuries thinned out the room.
It is the kind of addition that can matter more than it looks on paper, especially this early in the season when teams are still sorting out depth and durability. Marshall now gets a chance to re-enter the conversation in Carolina, and the larger question is whether this is just a temporary patch or the first move in a more complicated backfield reset. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Final Roster Shakeup Created One Clear Winner And Loser
The Panthers roster decisions ahead of the season brought a little more clarity to the depth chart, and a little more intrigue to the back end of the roster. Carolina kept quarterback Haynes King after he flashed in the preseason, a nice reward for a summer in which he forced his way into the conversation, while the team also made a notable addition at linebacker in Bobby Okereke as it trimmed to 53.
For Jermaine Wallace, the ripple effect was immediate, since the arrival of Okereke helped push him off the roster. There was a bit of encouraging news elsewhere, too, with Dave Canales saying he remains optimistic about Chuba Hubbards Week 1 availability despite the recent soreness, but the bigger takeaway is that the Panthers used cutdown day to make a couple of firm statements about who mattered most right now. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers First Round Decision Looks Smarter Than Fans Realized
The Panthers first-round choice drew plenty of second-guessing when the draft ended, but the picture around it has changed quickly. Monroe Freeling is now in the starting tackle role after Taylor Motons injury, and that kind of immediate need has a way of making a front office look far more foresighted than it did on draft night. Carolina has spent the early part of the season learning how thin the margin can be up front, and Freelings arrival now looks tied directly to one of the teams most important spots.
Makai Lemon, who had been floated as another possible target for Carolina, has only added to the retrospective argument by struggling through the preseason. The Panthers are still being judged on the whole set of draft decisions, but this is the kind of development that can change the tone around a pick fast. What once looked like a reach now appears to have lined up neatly with a real roster need, and in Carolinas case those are the kinds of calls that tend to matter most. [Read more 🡒]