Panthers Waive P Joseph Charlton
The Panthers are sticking with Lachlan Edwards as their punter. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports (via Twitter) that the team waived punter Joseph Charlton.
Charlton got into all 16 games for the Panthers last season, averaging 46.3 yards per punt and earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week late in the campaign. However, he struggled through the first five games of the 2021 campaign, seeing that yards-per-punt number drop to 39.1.
The 24-year-old landed on injured reserve with a back injury in mid-October. He was recently designated to return from IR, but the team decided to stick with their fill-in for the rest of the season.
“Lac” Edwards was the Jets full-time punter between the 2016 and 2019 seasons. He’s since had stints with the Bills, Chargers, and Lions, but he didn’t take the field for those squads. He joined the Panthers in late October and has seen time in their last three games, averaging a career-high 48.5 yards per punt.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/16/21
Keeping tabs on the latest taxi squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: T Jaryd Jones-Smith
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Eli Ankou
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DL Josh Avery
- Released: DT Treyvon Hester
Cleveland Browns
- Released: WR Isaiah Zuber
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: WR Damion Ratley
Denver Broncos
- Released: G Shaq Calhoun, QB Danny Etling
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: OLB Ladarius Hamilton, RB Kerrith Whyte
- Released: DL Auzoyah Alufohai
Miami Dolphins
- Released: DE Jabaal Sheard
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from practice squad reserve/COVID-19 list: T Timon Parris
- Signed: FB Garrett Groshek
- Released: C Cohl Cabral
New Orleans Saints
- Released: DT Montravius Adams, RB Lamar Miller
New York Jets
- Signed: WR Keelan Doss, LB Corey Thompson
- Placed on practice squad IR: LB Noah Dawkins
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: QB Jake Luton, DE Alex Tchangam
Washington Football Team
- Signed: TE Temarrick Hemingway, DT Gabe Wright
Panthers Open To Re-Signing Cam Newton For 2022; Sam Darnold Done For Season?
Panthers head coach Matt Rhule told reporters on Wednesday that quarterback Sam Darnold, who is dealing with a fracture of the scapula on his right shoulder, will miss at least four to six weeks. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, Carolina is confident that Darnold will actually miss the rest of the season, which is what prompted the club to reunite with Cam Newton earlier this week.
As soon as the Panthers knew that Darnold would likely be sidelined for the remainder of the 2021 campaign, they reviewed their in-house and outside options and determined that Newton was the best choice. As Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, Rhule then called Newton to determine the former MVP’s interest in rejoining his old team, and Newton was very excited about the prospect.
At that point, the discussions hinged on two factors, one of which was money. Newton, who is still getting paid by the Patriots, was not going to settle for the veteran minimum, which is why the two sides ultimately came together on a $6MM pact (although Newton can earn up to $10MM, it will be difficult for him to reach that maximum).
Just as important was Newton’s desire for “direct communication and accountability.” In other words, if the team has an issue with him, he wants to be told about it directly, just as Patriots head coach Bill Belichick did with him in New England. Rhule, GM Scott Fitterer, VP of football operations Steven Drummond — whose relationship with Newton helped get the deal done — and owner David Tepper promised him as much.
When initially asked about the possibility of re-signing Newton in 2022, Fitterer was noncommittal, saying, “we’re not there yet” (Twitter link via David Newton of ESPN.com). However, Schefter says that if Newton plays well for the rest of the season, he would immediately become the favorite to serve as the starting QB next year.
Rapoport, meanwhile, notes that while the team is certainly open to another contract for Newton, Carolina has by no means given up on Darnold. After all, Darnold is owed a fully-guaranteed $18.858MM for the 2022 season, and the Panthers liked what they saw from him in the first three weeks of this year. The club thinks that his shoulder ailment contributed to his poor performance over the last few weeks, and it has no intention of trying to cut ties this offseason.
If Newton plays in this afternoon’s contest against the Cardinals, he will only see a limited number of snaps. As we already knew, P.J. Walker will serve as today’s QB1. But assuming all goes well in practice over the coming days, Newton has a good chance to suit up against Washington and old friend Ron Rivera next week.
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/13/21
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: LS Beau Brinkley, WR Greg Dortch
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from IR: S Juston Burris, WR Brandon Zylstra
- Promoted: OL Mike Horton
Cincinnati Bengals
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Chidobe Awuzie
- Placed on IR: CB Ryan Smith
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from IR: LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
- Waived: DT Andrew Billings
- Promoted: RB Brian Hill, CB Herb Miller, WR JoJo Natson, FB Johnny Stanton
Dallas Cowboys
- Activated from PUP list: DT Trysten Hill
- Promoted: K Lirim Hajrullahu
Denver Broncos
- Activated from PUP list: CB Essang Bassey
- Promoted: T Quinn Bailey, RB Damarea Crockett, T Drew Himmelman, LB Curtis Robinson
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: K Ryan Santoso
- Placed on IR: K Austin Seibert
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Isaac Yiadom
- Waived: LB LaDarius Hamilton
Indianapolis Colts
- Activated from IR: CB T.J. Carrie
- Promoted: S Jahleel Addae
- Waived: CB BoPete Keyes
Kansas City Chiefs
- Placed on IR: T Mike Remmers
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, LB Patrick Onwuasor
Minnesota Vikings
- Placed on IR: DT Michael Pierce
- Promoted: S Myles Dorn, CB Tye Smith
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DL Tashawn Bower, TE Matt LaCosse
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: P Braden Mann, OL Conor McDermott
- Placed on IR: T Chuma Edoga
- Promoted: FB Nick Bawden, DE Ronald Blair, DE Hamilcar Rashed, TE Kenny Yeboah
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: WR Steven Sims
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: LB Tanner Muse
- Waived: TE Tyler Mabry
- Placed on IR: DB Marquise Blair (story)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: TE Darren Fells, WR Breshad Perriman
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: CB Kristian Fulton
- Placed on IR: S Dane Cruikshank
- Promoted: LB Dylan Cole, WR Dez Fitzpatrick, NT Kyle Peko
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: DE Bunmi Rotimi
Details On QB Cam Newton’s Contract With Panthers
When Cam Newton rejoined the Panthers this week, we learned that he could collect up to $10MM on his one-year contract. Well, it sounds like Newton will be hard pressed to reach those incentives, with the majority of his bonuses tied to the team’s performance in the postseason.
[RELATED: Panthers Sign QB Cam Newton]
ESPN’s Field Yates has provided (via Twitter) the full details on the QB’s contract with the Panthers. Newton can earn an extra $500K for each playoff win (coupled with playing at least 50 percent of the team’s offensive snaps). Newton can also earn an additional $1.5MM for a Super Bowl win (+ 50% playing time) and another $1MM if he wins Super Bowl MVP.
No disrespect to the Panthers, but there’s no guarantee that they even make the playoffs, much less get a playoff win. Per DraftKings Sportsbook, there are 11 NFC teams with better odds to make the Super Bowl, and there are 23 NFL teams with a better chance of winning the championship. Even if you ignore the Panthers’ odds, there’s still a chance the team goes back to Sam Darnold once he returns from the IR.
In reality, Newton will likely earn the previously reported $4.5MM that is guaranteed plus his per-game roster bonus. In other words, assuming Newton is rostered for the rest of the season and the Panthers either fail to make the playoffs or fail to win a postseason game, then Newton’s really looking at a max contract value of $6MM.
Those per-game roster bonuses are valued at $187.5K, per Yates. Newton’s $4.5MM guaranteed is divided with a $2.25MM signing bonus and a $2.25MM base salary.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/12/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LS Beau Brinkley
- Placed on practice squad IR: LS Kyle Nelson
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: K Elliott Fry
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Josh Watson
- Released: QB James Morgan
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/11/21
Today’s practice squad moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: DE Damontre Moore
Denver Broncos
- Signed: CB Duke Dawson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Gary Jennings
- Placed on injured list: WR Jeff Badet
Pittsburgh Pirates
- Signed: LB Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OL Corbin Kaufusi, CB Saivion Smith
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DB Breon Borders
Panthers Sign QB Cam Newton
Cam Newton will return to the Panthers. A Thursday meeting produced a quick contract agreement, one that will lead the former MVP back to Carolina.
The sides agreed on a one-year deal, USA Today’s Josina Anderson tweets, and Newton will do quite well for himself. The Panthers are giving him $4.5MM fully guaranteed, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets, and the veteran passer has a chance to collect up to $10MM. Offset language was present covering $1.5MM in Newton’s most recent Patriots deal, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This led Newton to hold out for more this season, and he landed such a contract from his initial NFL employer.
The Panthers have cycled through multiple starting quarterbacks since cutting Newton in March 2020. They are now down Sam Darnold, who had regressed after a strong start. With Darnold on IR, P.J. Walker is in line to start against the Cardinals in Week 10. By Week 11, the Panthers’ first-string plans are likely to change.
Newton, 32, went through two sets of meetings before committing to rejoin the Panthers. He had previously met with Matt Rhule, who had signed off on his release last offseason, to clear the air, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). A meeting with owner David Tepper, first-year GM Scott Fitterer and VP of football operations Stephen Drummond then commenced. It all led to a reunion, which ends Newton’s latest lengthy free agency stay.
Set to begin his 11th season, Newton is coming off a 15-start slate with the Patriots. That campaign did not go especially well, with Newton throwing just eight touchdown passes. Although the Pats re-signed Newton this offseason, they drafted Mac Jones and decided not to keep both QBs going into the season. This agreement also means the Patriots will add $1.5MM in cap space in 2022 (h/t Patscap, on Twitter). Since the late-August release, Newton spoke with the Seahawks about a deal amid Russell Wilson‘s injury hiatus. No agreement came to pass. Newton is now vaccinated and can rejoin the Panthers immediately.
Rhule will be the third coach Newton has played for as a pro, and the former No. 1 overall pick will be tasked with quickly digesting Joe Brady‘s offense. Newton made three Pro Bowls in his first five seasons, leading the Panthers to three playoff berths during that span. He led Carolina to a 15-1 season in 2015 and spearheaded the Panthers’ run to their second Super Bowl. A rough Newton outing against the Broncos preceded an injury-plagued second half, one that featured the dual-threat talent ranking 29th in QBR cumulatively from 2016-19. A foot injury cost Newton 14 games in 2019. The Panthers then signed Teddy Bridgewater in March 2020, signaling the end of Newton’s first stint.
Bridgewater is now in Denver, following an April trade, and Darnold is out for at least a month. Walker, who was off to a strong start in the XFL before the pandemic ended its second season early, has made one career NFL start — against the Lions last season — and completed 3 of 15 passes in relief of Darnold in Week 7. Newton has 139 starts under his belt. While Walker stands to make a second start this week, Newton will be positioned to move past 140 for his career soon. The Panthers face Washington, run by ex-Newton HC Ron Rivera, in Week 11.
Panthers To Meet With Cam Newton
Cam Newton will have a chance to return to the Panthers. The again-QB-needy franchise will meet with the best passer in its history Thursday.
After having been largely off the radar for two months, Newton secured a Thursday meeting with Matt Rhule and David Tepper, according to the Charlotte Observer’s Jonathan Alexander. The Panthers just placed Sam Darnold on IR, moving P.J. Walker into the starting slot. This meeting appears to be more than an exploratory conversation. The Panthers hope to re-sign Newton, with Joe Person of The Athletic noting an agreement is near (Twitter links).
This would be quite the full-circle development for a Panthers regime that jettisoned Newton as one of its first orders of business in March 2020. Rhule made the move to release Newton, instead signing Teddy Bridgewater to a more lucrative deal. The Panthers cut bait on that contract a year later, sending Bridgewater to the Broncos and trading for Darnold. Carolina’s current quarterback leads the NFL in interceptions, with 11.
Newton struggled in his Patriots season and ended up being released, with the Pats going with first-rounder Mac Jones. Newton, 32, has battled extensive injury trouble since his dominant 2015 MVP season. Shoulder and foot injuries nagged Newton during his final years in Carolina. The former No. 1 overall pick missed 14 games in 2019, prompting the current Panthers regime to cut bait rather than sign on for a 10th season with Newton at the controls.
Jones was able to get a crucial leg up on Newton in August, when a COVID-19 testing issue sidelined New England’s 2020 starter for five days. The Pats moved on from the three-time Pro Bowler ahead of roster cutdown day, and the 10-year veteran has spent two months back in free agency. The Seahawks spoke with Newton shortly after Russell Wilson‘s injury but stayed the course with Geno Smith. Now vaccinated, Newton could rejoin the Panthers quickly and become an emergency solution for a reeling team.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/10/21
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LS Kyle Nelson, WR Darrius Shepherd
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: CB Lafayette Pitts
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: G Patrick Omameh
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Herb Miller, RB Dexter Williams
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: K Lirim Hajrullahu
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Tom Kennedy
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Demone Harris
- Released: OL Carson Green
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Jeff Badet
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DE Nate Orchard
hoNew England Patriots
- Signed: C James Ferentz
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: RB Josh Adams
San Francisco 49ers
- Released: LB Christian Elliss
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: QB Kevin Hogan, WR Chris Rowland