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Carolina Panthers News & Rumors

Panthers Bring Back Marquis Haynes

October 4th, 2024 at 9:51am CST by Adam La Rose

Marquis Haynes is set to return to Carolina. The seventh-year edge rusher has a deal in place with the Panthers, as first reported by Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer. The move is now official, per a team announcement.

Kaye notes this will be a practice squad agreement. Haynes could soon see time on the active roster, though, as he looks to reclaim the depth role he has held throughout his career. The 30-year-old has logged 71 appearances to date, all with the Panthers. He had a lengthy stay on the free agent market, a period which included a Panthers workout.

Carolina hosted a number of other veteran edge options, however, and the team did not reunite with Haynes at that point. The former fourth-rounder wound up landing a Cardinals deal in August shortly after BJ Ojulari suffered a season-ending ACL tear. In very short order, though, Haynes was let go after his Arizona pact included an injury waiver (stemming from the time he spent on injured reserve last season). Now, he will circle back to his former team in a bid to put together a healthy campaign.

Haynes played sparingly during his rookie year, but since then his snap shares have ranged from 27-41%. His most productive campaign came in 2022, when he racked up five sacks and 16 pressures. After being limited to only seven games last year, the Ole Miss product could serve as a notable depth contributor along the edge upon being promoted to the active roster. Carolina ranks 30th in the NFL with only five sacks, so production from anywhere in the organization would be welcomed.

Neither D.J. Wonnum nor Amare Barno have played this season with both spending the first four weeks of the year on the reserve/PUP list. Both players will add much-needed depth along the edge once they are activated, but in the meantime Haynes could fill in as a rotational option. Succeeding in that capacity could help his market value ahead of the 2025 offseason.

Panthers Open Practice Window For Dane Jackson, Ian Thomas; Josey Jewell To Miss Time

October 2nd, 2024 at 11:52am CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Panthers have opened the 21-day window for cornerback Dane Jackson and tight end Ian Thomas to return to practice after both players started the season on injured reserve, according to ESPN’s David Newton.

Carolina took advantage of the NFL’s new IR rules after Jackson’s training camp hamstring injury, using one of its two preseason IR return designations to keep him eligible for the regular season without carrying him on the team’s initial 53-man roster. The Panthers did the same with safety Sam Franklin, leaving them with six return designations for the regular season. They will use one on Thomas after a nagging calf injury forced him onto injured reserve after final roster cuts, sidelining him for the team’s first four games.

Both Jackson and Thomas now have 21 days to begin practicing with the team while still on injured reserve. After those three weeks are up, the Panthers will either have to activate them to the 53-man roster or revert them to season-ending IR.

Jackson was expected to start at outside cornerback opposite Jaycee Horn heading into the season, but his injury gave Michael Jackson a chance to secure a starting job.

Thomas, meanwhile, could be a major boost to a tight end group that has struggled to begin the year. Tommy Tremble is leading the Panthers’ TEs with six catches for 52 yards, and neither he nor rookie Ja’Tavion Sanders have a single receiving touchdown. Thomas is not known as a dynamic pass-catcher, but his prowess as a blocker will aid a Carolina rushing attack that has relied heavily on Chuba Hubbard to start the year.

Panthers head coach Dave Canales announced that running back Jonathon Brooks and outside linebacker D.J. Wonnum will not be designated for return this week, per Joe Person of The Athletic. Brooks is still working his way back from a November 2023 ACL tear suffered in college, while complications from last season’s quadriceps tear have delayed Wonnum’s recovery and return to the field. Brooks resides on the reserve/NFI list, Wonnum on the reserve/PUP list.

Carolina will also be without inside linebacker Josey Jewell, who will miss “a few weeks” with a hamstring and groin injury, according to Newton, joining fellow starting ILB Shaq Thompson on the sidelines as he deals with an Achilles injury. Claudin Cherelus and Trevin Wallace are the next men up at inside linebacker, with veteran Jon Rhattigan also an option further down the depth chart.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/1/24

October 1st, 2024 at 7:39pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s practice squad updates around the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

  • Signed: WR Jermaine Jackson
  • Released: WR John Jiles

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Released: DT Matt Gotel

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

The Broncos are bringing in the veteran running back Ahmed after he spent four years in Miami. Ahmed’s biggest role came in four starts as an undrafted rookie back in 2020 in which he rushed for 319 yards and three touchdowns over six games. He served as a reliable backup for the Dolphins for the past few years.

The Chargers released Jefferson yesterday, but they’ll keep him around on the practice squad with today’s signing. The veteran adds some quality depth to the roster.

Panthers Sign CB Caleb Farley

October 1st, 2024 at 5:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Caleb Farley‘s time in Tennessee did not go as planned, but he has lined up a new NFL opportunity. The former first-round corner is signing with the Panthers, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. The deal is now official, per a team announcement.

Schultz notes, to little surprise, this will be a practice squad agreement. Farley is expected to soon find himself on Carolina’s active roster, though, as he seeks to post a healthy stretch and rebuild his value. The 25-year-old struggled with a multitude of injuries during his college and NFL careers, including a pair of ACL tears and three back surgeries. The Titans made a predictable move in declining his 2025 fifth-year option, but they also waived him ahead of roster cutdowns.

That move was followed by a Patriots workout, although no deal materialized. Farley visited the Panthers shortly before this agreement, as noted by KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The Virginia Tech product missed the entire 2023 season after playing only 12 total games across his first two seasons in the league. He was held without an interception, and his coverage statistics left plenty of room for improvement. Carolina could offer Farley a chance to put together a string of healthy games played while developing into at least a depth contributor in the secondary.

Tennessee took on a $4.29MM dead money charge by moving on from Farley in the offseason. This Panthers deal will no doubt check in at a lesser cost, which will be necessary given the team’s financial situation. Carolina entered Tuesday with only $571K in cap space, the lowest figure in the league. This flier carries a degree of upside for the 1-3 outfit, though.

In other roster moves, the Panthers signed Chandler Wooten from the practice squad to the active roster. The former UDFA has 17 appearances to his name, all with Carolina. Wooten will look to help fill the void created by fellow linebacker Shaq Thompson‘s Achilles tear. Cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields was waived from the 53-man roster, and he could be retained on the practice squad if he clears.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/30/24

September 30th, 2024 at 8:25pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Las Vegas Raiders

Rashaan Evans has landed in a familiar spot. The veteran linebacker has signed with the Falcons practice squad, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. After spending the first four seasons of his career in Tennessee, the former first-round pick spent the 2022 campaign in Atlanta. He ended up having a career year, compiling a team-leading 159 tackles to go along with two sacks and one forced fumble.

Despite the counting stats, it took Evans until last September to find another gig, this time in Philly. He lasted less than a week with the Eagles before settling in Dallas. He ended up getting into nine games with the Cowboys, but he was waived in December after getting arrested for possession of marijuana.

While it once again took him until September to find a job, he’ll step into a potential role in Atlanta, at least temporarily. The Falcons need a bit of depth following the injury to Troy Andersen. At the end of his standout performance on Sunday (16 tackles and a pick-six), the linebacker suffered a knee injury that’s been deemed day-to-day, per D. Orlando Ledbetter of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. With Nate Landman also sidelined, the Falcons may need some extra bodies when they take on the Buccaneers this Thursday.

Panthers’ Shaq Thompson Tears Achilles

September 30th, 2024 at 11:38am CST by Sam Robinson

After rehabbing a September 2023 injury to be on the field in Week 1, Shaq Thompson faces another long road to recovery. The Panthers have again lost the veteran linebacker to a season-ending injury.

Thompson sustained an Achilles tear in Week 4, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. The only Carolina starter left from Super Bowl 50, Thompson is in the final year of his contract. This is obviously a tough blow to Thompson’s value, as he is now 30 and will exit this season coming off two major injuries.

Anchoring Carolina’s defensive second level since Luke Kuechly‘s 2020 retirement, Thompson came back from a fractured fibula suffered in Week 2 of last season. That injury forced him off the field during another tumultuous Panthers season. Despite the team changing GMs and once again switching HCs, Thompson remained in its plans. He came back and started four games this season, making 35 tackles, but it is now worth wondering if this is it for the 2015 first-round pick with Carolina.

The Panthers, who played much of last season without Thompson and Jaycee Horn, have lost Derrick Brown for the year as well. The latest Thompson setback guts Ejiro Evero‘s defense, which already came into the season shorthanded at edge rusher. Resolving the Brian Burns matter by selling low (via trade to the Giants), the Panthers have D.J. Wonnum on their reserve/PUP list. Jadeveon Clowney has one sack in four games, with no Panther entering Week 5 with more than 1.5.

Sacks are not Thompson’s department, but the off-ball ‘backer has provided consistency and leadership during much of his Carolina tenure. Initially a wingman alongside stalwarts Kuechly and Thomas Davis on that Carolina Super Bowl team as a rookie, the Dave Gettleman-era draftee earned a lucrative extension before Kuechly’s retirement. Thompson played on that deal until accepting a pay cut in 2023. The Panthers restructured that contract this offseason, creating $3MM in cap space. If Thompson is not re-signed by the start of the 2025 league year, the team will incur $3.18MM in dead money.

A 1-15 2001 season aside, this has been the worst stretch in team history. Thompson has missed much of this 3-18 run but has been onboard throughout David Tepper‘s ownership tenure. Thompson had teamed with Frankie Luvu in recent years, but he defected to Washington in free agency. The Panthers added ex-Evero Broncos charge Josey Jewell as a starter in March, and they will need to find another regular. The team used a third-round pick on Trevin Wallace this year and used its No. 1 waiver priority to claim Jon Rhattigan late last month. Claudin Cherelus, a former waiver claim, rounds out Carolina’s ILB group.

Thompson’s 752 career tackles rank fourth in Panthers history — behind Davis, Kuechly and safety Mike Minter — and his 112 starts sit seventh in franchise history among defenders. Barring a low-cost contract to return, Thompson will remain in that spot for the foreseeable future, as the Panthers do not have much for longevity on their defense. Whether it is with Carolina or another franchise, Thompson will aim to play again. He said Monday (via Instagram) retirement is not on the table.

Four Teams Inquired On Panthers QB Bryce Young

September 29th, 2024 at 12:48pm CST by Rory Parks

We heard last week that the Panthers were receiving trade inquiries on second-year quarterback Bryce Young in the wake of the club’s decision to bench Young in favor of veteran Andy Dalton. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer added more context to the situation, reporting that four teams reached out to gauge Carolina’s interest in dealing Young (video link).

Glazer says that the Panthers emphatically told those clubs that they were not moving last year’s No. 1 overall pick, and that they still see a future for Young in Charlotte. Naturally, the team does not want to undermine its already limited leverage in potential trade negotiations by publicly expressing any uncertainty about Young’s long-term viability, but it is at least notable that they are taking this stance for the time being.

Multiple outlets have suggested that the Panthers intend to turn back to Young at some point this season, and Glazer reiterates that the club does believe that allowing Young to reset and to learn from Dalton will aid in his development. That said, Glazer stopped short of confirming that Young would play again in 2024, noting that would be dependent on how Young performs in practice.

Of course, Young’s immediate future will also be impacted at least to some degree by Dalton’s performance. The longtime Bengal and recent journeyman thrived in his first start in 2024, piloting Carolina to a blowout win over the Raiders in Week 3 while completing over 70% of his passes for 319 yards and three scores. Obviously, the soon-to-be 37-year old is a bridge option at this point, but if he keeps the Panthers in playoff contention, it would be surprising to see the team reinsert Young in 2024.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter recently pegged the upcoming offseason as the most likely time for a trade to be consummated, and Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported that the Panthers-Young relationship is indeed expected to come to an end in 2025. Trade rumors are nonetheless likely to continue swirling until the November 5 deadline, and at some point in the near future, the Panthers will be put to a potentially franchise-altering decision regarding the player they staked so much on just one year ago.

For his part, Young is said to be open to a trade sending him out of Carolina, though he is also amenable to remaining with the Panthers.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/28/24

September 28th, 2024 at 7:27pm CST by Ely Allen

Minor transactions and practice squad callups for the Week 4 weekend:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

  • Elevated: G Kyle Hergel

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

NFC Injury Updates: Eagles, Davis, Lewis, Carlson

September 27th, 2024 at 9:52pm CST by Ely Allen

The Eagles are going to be forced to make a long-term switch on special teams after punt returner Britain Covey told reporters yesterday that he suffered a broken scapula. According to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, Covey is likely to miss around six weeks recovering from the injury.

Covey hasn’t had too many return opportunities this season. The team as a whole has only returned two punts this season, with Covey logging only one of those for nine yards. The only other return came from second-round rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean, who gained six yards on a return last week in New Orleans as he stepped in after Covey’s injury. DeJean has played sparsely on defense so far this year, but it looks like his impact on special teams will be taken to the next level over the next several weeks.

Covey’s presence will also be missed on offense, where he’s third in the receivers room in receptions and yards this year. With Covey joining Ainias Smith and Jacob Harris on injured reserve, that leaves four receivers on the active roster. DeVonta Smith is set miss the team’s next contest with a concussion, so Jahan Dotson, Parris Campbell, and rookie Johnny Wilson will be asked to step up alongside A.J. Brown.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFC:

  • Saints linebacker Demario Davis is playing in his 13th NFL season. This weekend, the veteran defender will miss the first game of his career due to injury. Davis had one absence back in 2021 due to COVID-19, but Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports that a hamstring injury will keep Davis from playing for the first time in his long career.
  • On Wednesday, we reported an elbow injury for Panthers starting left guard Damien Lewis. Initial reports predicted at least a one-game absence, but the veteran guard will endeavor to not miss any time. Per Joe Person of The Athletic, Lewis suffered a UCL tear in his left elbow. If he were a left-handed quarterback, Lewis would require surgery, but there’s a chance Carolina doesn’t see any missed time from their lineman, who will try to play through the injury.
  • Tight end Stephen Carlson‘s stint on the Bears‘ active roster was a short one. After being promoted from the practice squad three days ago, Carlson suffered a significant collarbone injury on the last play of practice yesterday, according to ESPN’s Courtney Cronin. Cronin predicts that an IR-stint is in Carlson’s future.

NFC Injury Updates: Lewis, Murphy, Darnold

September 25th, 2024 at 9:59pm CST by Ely Allen

After the high of getting their first win this past weekend, it’s a tough swing back down as the Panthers will see starting left guard Damien Lewis miss at least one game with an elbow injury, per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. Schultz tells us that, while Lewis will likely avoid a stint on injured reserve, he will have to miss some time.

While the quarterback play has suffered up until this past week, Carolina has seen some pretty solid offensive line play so far this season. In fact, Lewis, who grades out as the 25th-best guard in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), has, so far, graded out as the team’s fifth-best player on offense. Lewis is the only one who’s missed time on an otherwise stalwart line, with Chandler Zavala filling in during Lewis’s short absence.

A tear in Lewis’s elbow will likely require Zavala’s presence once again. While he will definitely miss one game, Lewis plans to eventually play through the injury. The team will miss his play, but the hope is that he won’t be gone for long.

Here are a couple other injury updates from around the NFL:

  • The Seahawks have enjoyed the benefits of a talented defensive line this season, one that has been boosted by the contributions of rookie first-round defensive tackle Byron Murphy. The second defensive player taken off the board last April, Murphy is expected to miss some time with a hamstring injury, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Seattle doesn’t intend to put him on IR for now, but they’ll be decidedly careful not to rush the rookie back.
  • Late in the team’s win over the Texans this past weekend, the Vikings experienced a scare when starting quarterback Sam Darnold took a low hit from former Minnesota-favorite Danielle Hunter. Darnold limped to the sideline, where he sat out one play before running back onto the field. Tests on Monday revealed a bruise but no structural damage to Darnold’s left knee, according to ESPN’s Kevin Seifert. The team will experience a collective sigh of relief to realize that their quarterback avoided serious injury just weeks after that of rookie first-round quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
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