The Carolina Panthers began paring their roster with a first wave of cuts Saturday. The list of 11 players waived contained no surprises but did include an undrafted linebacker (Bumper Pool) who was destined for a spot on the franchise’s all-name team.
The harder decisions are still to come as Frank Reich, Scott Fitterer and the other decision-makers must get from 79 to 53 players by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline. There undoubtedly will be a couple of surprise cuts in that group. The Athletic looks at five possibilities.
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1. QB Matt Corral
It’s been tough trying to read the tea leaves on this one. As I’ve written previously, keeping Corral — a young player at the most important position on a team-friendly, rookie contract — makes sense for a team that is not a Super Bowl contender and has a staff full of quarterback whisperers. Corral was inconsistent during the preseason, not surprising after he missed his entire rookie season following foot surgery.
Corral could run the Panthers’ scout team, get another year to grow by sitting in the QB meetings with Josh McCown and serve as insurance if Bryce Young or Andy Dalton misses time due to injury. Considering the San Francisco 49ers said they were surprised to receive a fourth-round pick for Trey Lance, it’s not like the Panthers are going to get much for Corral if there’s even interest in the third-rounder from Ole Miss.
Reich said a lot of factors will go into the decision whether to keep three quarterbacks. Injuries and needs at other positions could make hanging on to a third QB a luxury the Panthers can’t afford. But Reich said he’s been encouraged by Corral’s progress this summer.
“Matt’s incredibly athletic. He’s got a really strong arm. He’s worked as hard as anybody in the building. He spent a lot of time in this building,” he said. “Josh McCown has done a really great job. Those two have put a lot of time in together. So happy with the progress that he’s made and he’s had a lot of snaps in the preseason, and I think he’s done a good job.”
2. WR Shi Smith
Smith, a sixth-round pick from South Carolina in 2021, was part of the receiving rotation last season when he finished with 22 catches for 296 yards and two touchdowns. He was the team’s leading receiver (seven catches for 88 yards) during the preseason. But the Panthers want to see more consistency from Smith. And the fact he was still playing in the second half in Friday’s exhibition finale while Derek Wright had his shoulder pads off on the sideline is a pretty good indicator of where Smith stacks up among the receivers on the roster bubble. Smith served as the primary punt returner in 2022 but the Panthers are looking to upgrade there. Carolina is interested in adding a return specialist before the season, according to an executive with another team.
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3. TE Tommy Tremble
Like all the players on this list, Tremble was drafted under the Matt Rhule regime; Reich’s staff could have a different view of his skill set and ceiling. Tremble, a third-round pick from Notre Dame in 2021, caught only two of seven targets during the preseason and had a drop against the Detroit Lions on Friday. Tight ends have been featured prominently in Reich’s offense and the Panthers may feel they have enough at the position with Hayden Hurst and Ian Thomas, with Giovanni Ricci as a backup/special teams player.
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4. CB Keith Taylor
At 6 feet 3 and 195 pounds, Taylor has the length that Fitterer and assistant general manager Dan Morgan like in their corners. But Taylor’s size hasn’t translated into success for the 2021 fifth-round pick, who was burned repeatedly against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Mike Evans in a Week 17 game last season that the Panthers needed to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Panthers’ signing of veteran corner Troy Hill last week put Taylor on shaky ground and Fitterer likely will look to add another corner off the waiver wire.
5. LB Brandon Smith
The Panthers drafted Smith in the fourth round last season despite only so-so production at Penn State. Fitterer and Rhule took Smith — a big, fast player who passes the eye test — hoping his traits would help him develop into an impact player. But it hasn’t happened yet. Smith is buried on the linebacker depth chart but his athleticism plays well on special teams. Is that enough to keep him?
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The Athletic’s final 53-man projection
Quarterback (3): Bryce Young, Andy Dalton, Matt Corral
Running back (3): Miles Sanders, Chuba Hubbard, Raheem Blackshear
Wide receiver (6): Adam Thielen, DJ Chark, Jonathan Mingo, Laviska Shenault, Terrace Marshall, receiver/returner added at cutdowns
Tight end (3): Hayden Hurst, Ian Thomas, Giovanni Ricci
Offensive line (9*): Ikem Ekwonu, Brady Christensen, Bradley Bozeman, Taylor Moton, Chandler Zavala, Nash Jensen, Cam Erving, Justin McCray, Cade Mays
Interior defensive line (5): Derrick Brown, DeShawn Williams, Shy Tuttle, Raequan Williams, Henry Anderson
Edge (6): Brian Burns, Justin Houston, Marquis Haynes, Yetur Gross-Matos, DJ Johnson, Amaré Barno
Inside linebacker (5): Shaq Thompson, Frankie Luvu, Deion Jones, Kamu Grugier-Hill, Chandler Wooten
Cornerback (5): Jaycee Horn, Donte Jackson, Troy Hill, C.J. Henderson, corner added at cutdowns
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Safety (5): Xavier Woods, Vonn Bell, Jeremy Chinn, Jammie Robinson, Sam Franklin
Specialists (3): Eddy Pineiro, Johnny Hekker, J.J. Jansen
*Right guard Austin Corbett (ACL) won’t be ready for Week 1 and likely will begin the season on the physically unable to perform list.
(Top photo of Tommy Tremble: Bob Donnan / USA Today)
The Football 100, the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, goes on sale this fall. Pre-order it here.
