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Panthers TE Hayden Hurst Addresses NFL Future

December 7th, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Sam Robinson

Among tight ends, Hayden Hurst received the most guaranteed money this offseason. The former first-round pick signed with the Panthers on a three-year, $21.75MM deal that came with $13MM fully guaranteed. A midseason concussion has stalled Hurst in Carolina.

Concerningly, Hurst’s father shared that an independent neurologist diagnosed the veteran tight end with post-traumatic amnesia. The 30-year-old pass catcher has not played since entering concussion protocol after a Nov. 9 game against the Bears. Interim Carolina HC Chris Tabor said Hurst is progressing, and the former minor league baseball player said he is not planning to retire as a result of this injury.

“I’m doing better each day,” Hurst said, via ESPN.com’s David Newton. “It’s not going to end my career, just being cautious as I come back. Should be another week or two.”

While Hurst confirmed the diagnosis (via Newton), he said the post-traumatic amnesia assessment “sounds way worse.” The Cleveland Clinic defines post-traumatic amnesia as developing after an injury. The condition can bring confusion due to the afflicted person’s “difficulty remembering where they are, how they got there or any new information since the injury.” Hurst tweeted that he does not remember “up to 4 hours after the game (against the Bears).” The South Carolina alum was allowed to remain in the game following the hit, being placed in the protocol after the contest.

Early retirements as a result of concussions have become more commonplace in the NFL. The best defender in Panthers history, Luke Kuechly, is the most notable example. The perennial All-Pro made a surprising call to retire after the 2019 season. Kuechly, who retired at 28, suffered three confirmed concussions during his decorated career.

Hurst is midway through his sixth NFL season. The Ravens drafted him 25th overall in 2018, bringing him in two rounds before adding Mark Andrews. With Andrews becoming Baltimore’s clear-cut top option in the passing game, the team traded Hurst to Atlanta in 2020. After two seasons with the Falcons, Hurst signed a one-year, $3.5MM Bengals deal. Last season, Hurst caught 52 passes for 414 yards and two touchdowns. Despite Dalton Schultz and Mike Gesicki being franchise tag recipients last year, Hurst commanded a better contract than both this offseason.

Hurst’s $5.75MM base salary next season is guaranteed. On a Panthers team that has become the NFL’s worst, Hurst was off to a slow start before the concussion; in nine games, he caught 18 passes for 184 yards. While the ex-Pittsburgh Pirates farmhand expects to be back in action before season’s end, he did well to score the guarantee he did during his second free agency stay.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/6/23

December 6th, 2023 at 8:25pm CST by Ely Allen

Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

The Dolphins swapped out a young secondary defender for a veteran defensive lineman. McKinley came in to play as an undrafted rookie last year after some injuries to the secondary, starting two games and notching an interception. Ellis is a former starter for the Raiders, Ravens, and Giants and could add some serious depth to the Dolphins’ line.

Nchami comes in to fill the practice squad spot vacated when defensive tackle P.J. Mustipher was signed to the Saints’ active roster today.

Panthers Likely To Make Aggressive Ben Johnson Pursuit; Team Considered Benching Bryce Young?

December 5th, 2023 at 9:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Panthers made a push to hire Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson this offseason, but the rising play-caller withdrew his name from consideration for that job or other HC positions. Despite Johnson turning down the Panthers in January, the team will be prepared to see if it can change the second-year OC’s mind.

Rumored to once again be targeting a coach with an offensive background, the Panthers will have their sights set on Johnson. Following the quick Frank Reich ouster, the Panthers look to be more interested in Johnson than they were earlier this year, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post notes.

Some around the NFL are convinced David Tepper will up the ante for the Detroit OC, La Canfora adds. Tepper’s increasingly polarizing reputation aside, the Panthers owner’s net worth sits behind only the Walton family in Denver among. Tepper made the comment about no salary cap being in place for coaches this offseason, when he added Ejiro Evero, Thomas Brown, Jim Caldwell, Josh McCown and Dom Capers to Reich’s staff.

But Johnson is on track to be a coveted commodity on the 2024 HC carousel. The Chargers have been linked to him as well, and he is expected to be interested in coaching Justin Herbert — a position expected to become available with Brandon Staley struggling in his third season — in 2024. Tepper’s reputation for impulsive decisions and meddling is also expected to make this search more complicated than those to replace Ron Rivera and Matt Rhule.

Tepper’s willingness to spend for coaches, as evidenced by Rhule’s seven-year deal worth $62MM, could certainly matter to a point. And a GM informed La Canfora the owner may be willing to keep GM Scott Fitterer on to help lure Johnson to Charlotte. Viewed as a GM not insistent on playing the lead role in personnel, Fitterer — who indeed operated as second-in-command during Rhule’s run — does not have experience working with Johnson. The latter has been with the Lions since 2019; he spent the previous seven years with the Dolphins.

It would certainly be interesting for the Panthers to keep a GM on staff in hopes he can lure a promising HC to town, and it would not exactly reflect well on the team’s situation for Johnson to turn the club down twice. Tepper hired Fitterer to work alongside Rhule, but a report last month suggested he joined Reich on the hot seat. With the Panthers starting 1-11, Fitterer receiving a fourth season in the GM chair might be a tough sell. But the Panthers are in an unusual spot, seeing their owner become the center of attention during this run of inconsistency on the sideline and at the quarterback position.

On the latter front, Bryce Young has continued to struggle, doing so as No. 2 overall pick C.J. Stroud has separated himself in the Offensive Rookie of the Year race. Tepper attempted to insist the Panthers were in full agreement regarding Young over Stroud, but the 5-foot-10 passer did not receive a good draw in Year 1. The Panthers have lost both starting guards for the season, and free agency additions Miles Sanders and Hayden Hurst — each securing the most guaranteed money at their respective positions this offseason — have not moved the needle much. These signings, of course, came after the Panthers included longtime No. 1 wide receiver D.J. Moore in the trade for the No. 1 pick.

Young’s rookie-year issues were evident early to some on staff, as The Athletic’s Dianna Russini adds multiple coaches on staff wanted to bench the former Heisman winner by Week 5 (subscription required). Viewing Young as requiring more coaching before he could be relied upon as a weekly starter, these coaches were ultimately overruled by a Panthers vision that placed a higher priority on long-term Young development rather than potential 2023 wins with Andy Dalton at the helm. The Panthers fired both McCown and running backs coach Duce Staley. Parks Frazier, who rose from assistant Colts QBs coach to offensive coordinator in the wake of Reich’s 2022 firing, is now coaching the Panthers’ QBs, the Charlotte Observer’s Mike Kaye tweets.

It is not known if McCown and Staley backed a Young benching, but Tepper has attempted to drive home the notion the staff was in agreement on the Alabama prospect. Reich was connected to being pro-Stroud early in the pre-draft process, though he said post-draft he was in alignment with Panthers scouts on Young. The Panthers remain hopeful regarding Young’s development, with one team staffer (via Russini) citing the shortcomings of the team’s offensive pieces around him.

Circling back to Reich, La Canfora offers one of the reasons Tepper cut the cord so early was the veteran coach’s lower-key demeanor. Reich, 61, is not known as an intense leader. Reich’s measured approach came up against two outspoken owners during his HC career, with Jim Irsay becoming increasingly involved as the former Super Bowl-winning OC’s Colts run progressed. Reich signed a four-year contract. While Rhule’s Nebraska contract moved the Panthers off the hook for much of the money remaining on his NFL contract, via offset language, Reich said he is likely headed toward retirement. In that event, the Panthers will be paying their former HC through 2026.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/5/23

December 5th, 2023 at 6:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

  • Signed: WR Davion Davis
  • Placed on practice squad injured list: WR Jared Wayne

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/5/23

December 5th, 2023 at 6:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

  • Waived from PUP list: LB Drew White

A 2021 third-round pick, Rice started 10 games over his first two seasons. Although the Titans cut Zach Cunningham and let David Long sign with the Dolphins, they brought in Azeez Al-Shaair and have used second-year UDFA Jack Gibbens as starters this season. Rice has been strictly a backup, and a post-transaction tweet suggested the young defender was not too broken up about this Tennessee cut.

Hyder joined the Texans earlier this season. The 49ers had waived the rotational pass rusher after trading for Randy Gregory. Reuniting with DeMeco Ryans, Hyder spent much of his Texans stay on their practice squad. The team used the defensive end in two games this season, giving him 40 defensive snaps as a backup. Hyder would be eligible to return to Houston’s P-squad if he clears waivers.

Packers Add RB Kenyan Drake, Claim CB David Long

December 5th, 2023 at 4:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Enjoying a busy 2023 without seeing much game action, Kenyan Drake has secured an opportunity with a fourth NFL team this year. The Packers are signing Drake, ESPN.com’s Field Yates tweets. Drake posting a Packers logo provided a good indication he has found yet another gig this season.

After being one of the Ravens’ fill-ins during the second season to feature J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards injury trouble, Drake has since bounced from Indianapolis to Baltimore (once again) to Cleveland and now to Green Bay. This is a practice squad agreement. Drake will replace James Robinson on Green Bay’s taxi squad.

Drake, 29, joined the Colts during a training camp overshadowed by Jonathan Taylor‘s absence but did not end up on Indianapolis’ 53-man roster. After losing Dobbins in Week 1, the Ravens brought Drake back. His 2023 season (two games) came in a Ravens uniform. Drake’s Browns stint did not include game action.

In addition to the Drake move, the Packers will become the second team this season to prevent David Long from hitting free agency. Accompanying Drake as a 2023 nomad, the veteran cornerback will join a third team this year. Initially a Raiders free agency addition, Long received his walking papers last month. The Panthers scooped Long up on waivers, reuniting him with former Rams secondary coach Ejiro Evero. After the Panthers cut bait, Long will once again land in a familiar scheme. Packers DC Joe Barry spent four seasons on Sean McVay‘s staff, two of them overlapping with Long.

Long, 25, joins a Packers team that has played without Jaire Alexander for stretches and has seen Eric Stokes land on multiple injury lists. The 2021 first-rounder is again on his way back, but the Packers have not yet activated him from IR. The Pack also traded starter Rasul Douglas to the Bills on deadline day. A regular for the Super Bowl-winning Rams edition two seasons ago, Long has played in 11 games this season. He made one start apiece in Las Vegas and Charlotte, but both teams waived him. Long spent four seasons in Los Angeles, starting 10 games. He played 516 defensive snaps in 2021, when the Rams still employed both Jalen Ramsey and Darious Williams.

As for Drake, he finished last season with 482 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Drake has two 800-plus-yard rushing seasons, with his most productive work coming in Arizona. The former transition tag recipient now profiles as a backup option, but the Packers have been without Aaron Jones for much of this season. After a hamstring injury shelved Green Bay’s starter early this year, he sustained an MCL sprain in November. Jones has missed five games this year. During his most recent absence, AJ Dillon and Patrick Taylor have operated as the Pack’s primary backs.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/4/23

December 4th, 2023 at 8:57pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Designated to return from IR: LB Malik Hamm

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers

  • Claimed off waivers (from Panthers): DB David Long

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Promoted: TE Josh Pederson

New York Giants

While the Giants haven’t activated Tyrod Taylor, the veteran QB is expected to be back on the active roster next Monday. In preparation, the team has moved on from Matt Barkley, who has been serving as the backup to Tommy DeVito since Daniel Jones went down with an injury. Barkley hasn’t seen the field for a regular season game since 2020, when he got into five games with the Bills.

Latest On Panthers’ HC, GM Positions

December 3rd, 2023 at 10:10pm CST by Rory Parks

Consistent with a report that surfaced in the immediate aftermath of head coach Frank Reich‘s dismissal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com says that the Panthers will be targeting an offensive-minded coach when they conduct a search for Reich’s full-time replacement this offseason. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson — who had emerged as the frontrunner for the Carolina HC post during the 2023 hiring cycle before he withdrew his name from consideration — is likely to be on owner David Tepper‘s short list once again, per Schefter. Ditto Eagles OC Brian Johnson.

Schefter’s ESPN colleague, Dan Graziano, agrees that Tepper’s search will lean towards a coach with an offensive background given the franchise’s investment in Bryce Young (subscription required). However, both Graziano and fellow ESPN scribe Jeremy Fowler believe that a candidate’s leadership abilities could be more critical than their offensive acumen. After all, new Texans HC DeMeco Ryans is a defensive-oriented coach, but his club — guided by rookie QB C.J. Stroud — boasts one of the league’s most prolific offenses. Likewise, the defensive-minded Steve Wilks led the Panthers to a 6-6 finish as interim head coach in 2022, but Tepper elected to move on from Wilks and chose not to aggressively pursue Ryans.

Regardless of which qualities Tepper prioritizes in the upcoming cycle, it remains to be seen if he will be able to land his top choice, thanks to his growing reputation as an impatient and meddlesome owner. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Tepper’s comments at a press conference in the wake of Reich’s firing will not help his cause.

During that presser, Tepper noted that the decision to select Young over Stroud in the 2023 draft was unanimous, though Florio finds that hard to believe. That is not because he is looking at the matter through a revisionist lens skewed by the two players’ performances in their rookie campaigns, but rather because the sheer number of people involved in such a franchise-defining choice is almost guaranteed to generate contrasting viewpoints. So even though Tepper says the call was unanimous, Florio believes the reality is that any Stroud supporters realized that Tepper preferred Young and ultimately chose to side with their employer.

Indeed, while all owners natually have the power to veto any decisions made by their staff, Tepper drove that point home when reporters asked him about the Young-Stroud issue.

“The process was done the way the process was done,” Tepper said. “And again, even though if there was a process with five people in the room and the way the votes came in it was Frank was the first choice [as head coach], I always could veto that choice. And even if [it[ was Bryce [as the first overall pick] and the votes came in unanimously in this particular case, I could have vetoed that choice.”

In Florio’s view, the fact that Tepper openly avowed that he wields veto power even if there is unanimity among his football staff is telling. It also underscores his willingness to meddle, which could drive away candidates that might otherwise be interested in the Carolina HC gig. Dianna Russini of The Athletic, who says that Stroud’s success was a key factor in Tepper’s decision to fire Reich, also reports that some members of the organization have been texting Ben Johnson to tell him how “complicated” it is to work for the Panthers at the moment (subscription required).

Another high-profile target is Jim Harbaugh, but as Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda recently observed, Tepper’s propensity to drive decision-making obviously would not be appealing to a candidate like Harbaugh, who will likely want a high degree of autonomy over football operations. Plus, as a source told Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, “[Harbaugh’s] just as mercurial as Tepper. You want a coach that way, too?”

That said, other sources have told Jones that Harbaugh is a legitimate candidate for the job. While Harbaugh and Tepper did speak about the position in late December 2022/early January 2023, that conversation did not evolve into an interview. According to Jones, Tepper — who had recently fired Matt Rhule — did not want another coach who ran the entire football operation, but it sounds as if he may be more amenable to a Harbaugh hire this time around. And no matter how Tepper may be perceived around the league, Jay Glazer of Fox Sports makes it clear that there will be plenty of coaches who will want the Panthers’ post (video link).

Of course, there may be a new voice in Tepper’s ear when the calendar flips to 2024. GM Scott Fitterer is reportedly on the hot seat, and while Schefter reports that Carolina may prefer to retain him, he has been given no assurances about his future with the club.

Panthers’ S Jeremy Chinn, OLB Yetur Gross-Matos Join Horn Off IR

December 2nd, 2023 at 2:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Reinforcements are on the way for the Panthers this weekend, as the team has formally activated three defenders from injured reserve. The Carolina defense has been depending on injury replacements for much of the season but is finally set to return three recent, high draft picks in cornerback Jaycee Horn, safety Jeremy Chinn, and outside linebacker Yetur Gross-Matos.

Injuries have been a torment in Horn’s young career so far. After a fracture in his foot prematurely ended his rookie year after three games, Horn battled back to be fully healthy for his sophomore season. He would miss two games early in the year but would start 13 before suffering a season-ending broken wrist. This year, Horn only got through 20 snaps before suffering a hamstring injury that would require a 10-week IR stint.

Horn’s talent is undeniable. Despite the frequent injuries, the Panthers are always eager to get him back on the field, never choosing to ease him in. He’s started all 17 games he’s appeared in. In the short samples we’ve seen thus far, he’s proven to be as good as advertised. In the lone three games of his rookie season, he nabbed an interception and a pass defended. The following year, in 13 starts, Horn recorded three picks and seven passes defensed. Expect him to slot back in immediately as a starter across from Donte Jackson as soon as the coaching staff deems him healthy enough to return.

Chinn’s return couldn’t come at a better time. His usual starting role had been reduced a bit with the free agent addition of Vonn Bell, but with Bell set to miss this weekend’s matchup with a shoulder injury, Chinn should slot right back in as a full-time starter next to Xavier Woods, as opposed to only being on the field for certain packages in each start.

As Chinn’s role in the Panthers’ defense has changed and Carolina has found a suitable starting duo in Bell and Woods, the team had begun listening to trade offers on their former second-round pick. Before the Eagles brought in All-Pro Kevin Byard from Tennessee, Philadelphia reportedly kicked the tires on Chinn. While Chinn’s future may still lead him out of Carolina eventually, the Panthers will be happy to utilize him while they’ve still got him with Bell out.

Gross-Matos is experiencing a bit of disappointment in a contract year but continues to persist. It started when he was forced to change his style of play a bit to fit in new defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero‘s 3-4 scheme. Then, Gross-Matos took a backseat on the depth chart as veteran free agent signing Justin Houston slotted in as the starter across from pass rushing star Brian Burns.

Gross-Matos responded by putting up 2.5 sacks in six games of limited time before getting placed on IR, a much faster pace than he’s shown in the past. Houston has since been placed on IR, as well, forcing Carolina to turn to options like Marquis Haynes, Amare Barno, and rookie third-round pick DJ Johnson as starters at outside linebacker. Gross-Matos should now get a chance to make a strong case for himself as an extension candidate or future free agent.

The Panthers are dangerously close to becoming the first team eliminated from playoff contention, and given that Chicago owns their first-round pick thanks to the trade that helped the Panthers to draft quarterback Bryce Young No. 1 overall last year, the team doesn’t have much of a reason for tanking. So, this next stretch of three-straight divisional matchups proves as a measuring stick of how Carolina may measure up with a more-experienced Young and a less-injured defense.

Additionally, the team announced their two standard gameday elevations from the practice squad. Defensive end Chris Wormley and offensive guard Justin McCray will both be suiting up for tomorrow’s matchup in Tampa Bay.

Panthers To Activate CB Jaycee Horn From IR

December 2nd, 2023 at 9:44am CST by Ben Levine

Jaycee Horn is back on Carolina’s active roster. The Panthers are activating the cornerback from injured reserve, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

It’s uncertain if Horn will play tomorrow against the Buccaneers, and the defensive back was listed on questionable on Friday’s injury report. Either way, it sounds like the defensive back will be making his return sooner than later.

Horn suffered a hamstring injury against the Falcons in Week 1, keeping him off the field for months. He returned to practice in mid-November, and the Panthers had until Monday to activate the player from IR. If the team didn’t make the move, Horn would have been ineligible to return this year.

The former eighth-overall pick has dealt with a number of injuries throughout his career. He was limited to just three games as a rookie in 2021, and he was sidelined for another four contests last year. In total, Horn has appeared in 17 career games, totaling 59 tackles and four interceptions.

C.J. Henderson is set to return from concussion protocol for tomorrow’s game, per Mike Kaye of the Charlotte Observer. If Horn doesn’t play this weekend, Henderson will likely play opposite Donte Jackson on the outside, with Troy Hill sliding into his standard nickel spot. The Panthers claimed veteran Shaquill Griffin this week, providing the team with another body at the position.

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