Minor NFL Transactions: 6/30/23
Today’s only minor transaction across the league:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: S Myles Dorn
Dorn’s tenure in Carolina ends without a game appearance. Originally an undrafted free agent signing for the Vikings in 2020, Dorn spent his rookie year on injured reserve. After playing out two practice squad contracts in Minnesota, Dorn signed a reserve/futures deal with the Panthers back in January. Over his time with the Vikings, Dorn made 14 game appearances, tallying five total tackles in a purely special teams role. His release today comes as a result of the team’s signing of defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth.
Panthers Eyeing CB Addition?
At full health, the Panthers could have an intriguing group of corners at the top of their depth chart. Injury concerns could entice the team to make at least a depth move at the position, however. 
[RELATED: Panthers Sign DT Stallworth]
Carolina has Jaycee Horn and Donte Jackson entrenched as starters, but each are dealing with injury recoveries at the moment. Horn recently suffered an ankle injury which did not require surgery, and he is expected to be at full strength in time for training camp. Still, the setback is the latest of several he has dealt with in his young career.
Jackson, meanwhile, tore his Achilles in November and is continuing the rehab process. His ability to return to form will be a key factor in the Panthers’ defensive success. The 27-year-old has been a full-time starter throughout his career, and the team’s depth was tested late in 2022 while he and Horn were sidelined. C.J. Henderson, Keith Taylor and Stantley Thomas-Oliver represent Carolina’s other options at the CB spot.
As a result, Joe Person of The Athletic writes that it would not come as a surprise if the Panthers were to make an addition at the position this summer (subscription required). Marcus Peters tops the list of players still available this deep into the offseason, though he has frequently been linked to the Raiders. Other options include Ronald Darby, Bryce Callahan, William Jackson and Anthony Averett.
The Panthers currently hold more than $26.5MM in cap space, but they have been frequently linked to adding an edge rusher before the start of training camp. The team was also added to the list of potential DeAndre Hopkins suitors this week, and a deal for the All-Pro wideout would of course significantly eat into their available funds. Depending on how Carolina proceeds financially in the coming weeks (along with any unexpected health updates which could come along), a depth corner signing could be in the cards.
Panthers Sign DL Taylor Stallworth
The Panthers have added some defensive line depth. Agent Brett Tessler tweeted that defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth has signed a one-year deal with the organization.
Despite going undrafted out of South Carolina in 2018, Stallworth has managed to put together a productive five-year career. The defensive lineman got into 18 games through two seasons with the Saints to begin his career, and he later appeared in 32 games for the Colts between 2020 and 2021.
Stallworth split this past season with the Chiefs and Texans, compiling 10 tackles in seven games. He landed on Houston’s IR back in May, but he was released via injury settlement a few weeks later. In 57 career games (two starts), the 27-year-old has collected 52 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 14 QB hits. He’s also seen time in four postseason contests.
In Carolina, Stallworth will be reunited with head coach Frank Reich, who spent two years coaching the defensive lineman in Indy. Listed at six-foot-two and 300 pounds, Stallworth could play a role at either defensive tackle or nose tackle for the Panthers. He’ll be competing with the likes of 2020 sixth-round pick Bravvion Roy and 2022 UDFA Marquan McCall for reps behind projected starters Shy Tuttle and Derrick Brown.
DeAndre Hopkins On Panthers’ Radar?
The list of teams directly connected to free agent wideout DeAndre Hopkins has remained small in the aftermath of his visits to the Titans and Patriots. A new suitor may be on the fringes of the pursuit of the All-Pro, though. 
During an appearance on the Keyshawn, JWill & Max program, ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio named the Panthers as a team which is “lurking” with respect to Hopkins. Tennessee and New England have remained at the forefront of the 31-year-old’s situation, with the latter team in particular being touted as a logical destination. Carolina could stand to add another veteran to its receiver room, however.
The Panthers have already made a pair notable WR signings this offseason. Adam Thielen and DJ Chark have inked three- and one-year contracts, respectively, in Carolina, a team looking to take a signficant step forward in the passing game. Veteran tight end Hayden Hurst was brought in to help that effort, giving Carolina a number of experienced pass-catchers for rookie quarterback Bryce Young to work with. Second-round rookie Jonathan Mingo should also compete for a starting receiver spot.
Additionally, Joe Person of The Athletic cautions that while the Panthers will no doubt monitor Hopkins’ situation, they have more pressing roster holes at cornerback and edge rush in particular (Twitter link). The latter position is expected to see an addition at some point this summer, something which will eat into the team’s available cap space. As things currently stand, though, the Panthers have $26.6MM available – a far higher figure than the Patriots and Titans.
Paolantonio also mentioned the Browns as a team worth keeping an eye on regarding Hopkins. It was reported yesterday, though, that Cleveland is content with its receiver room as is, meaning a serious push for the five-time Pro Bowler is unlikely. It will be interesting to monitor how Carolina proceeds with their spending power as it pertains to Hopkins, who is set to remain patient for the time being as he considers his options.
30 Unsigned Draft Picks Remain
With training camps less than a month away, 30 members of the 2023 draft class remain unsigned. Several teams have agreed to terms with their entire draft classes, but a handful of teams have multiple players still unsigned. Draft slots largely explain this. First- and second-rounders comprise the bulk of the unsigned lot, with guarantees the core issue for the latter group. Here are the unsigned draftees:
Round 1:
- No. 1: Panthers QB Bryce Young (Alabama)
- No. 2: Texans QB C.J. Stroud (Ohio State)
- No. 4: Colts QB Anthony Richardson (Florida)
- No. 5: Seahawks CB Devon Witherspoon (Illinois)
- No. 12: Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs (Alabama)
- No. 13: Packers DE Lukas Van Ness (Iowa)
- No. 15: Jets DE Will McDonald (Iowa State)
- No. 16: Commanders CB Emmanuel Forbes (Mississippi State)
- No. 17: Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez (Oregon)
Round 2:
- No. 32: Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. (Penn State)
- No. 33: Titans QB Will Levis (Kentucky)
- No. 40: Saints DE Isaiah Foskey (Notre Dame)
- No. 41: Cardinals DE BJ Ojulari (LSU)
- No. 42: Packers TE Luke Musgrave (Oregon State)
- No. 43: Jets OL Joe Tippmann (Wisconsin)
- No. 44: Colts CB Julius Brents (Kansas State)
- No. 45: Lions DB Brian Branch (Alabama)
- No. 46: Patriots DE Keion White (Georgia Tech)
- No. 47: Commanders CB Jartavius Martin (Illinois)
- No. 48: Buccaneers OL Cody Mauch (North Dakota State)
- No. 50: Packers WR Jayden Reed (Michigan State)
- No. 51: Dolphins CB Cam Smith (South Carolina)
- No. 52: Seahawks RB Zach Charbonnet (UCLA)
Round 3:
- No. 77: Rams OLB Byron Young (Tennessee)
- No. 89: Rams DL Kobie Turner (Wake Forest)
Round 4:
- No. 105: Eagles CB Kelee Ringo (Georgia)
- No. 108: Colts T Blake Freeland (BYU)
Round 6:
- No. 182: Rams CB Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (TCU)
- No. 189: Rams OLB Ochaun Mathis (Nebraska)
- No. 215: Rams RB Zach Evans (Ole Miss)
The second-round slowdown continues a trend. Last year, more Round 2 choices received three fully guaranteed years compared to prior drafts. This year’s No. 39 overall pick — Panthers wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (Ole Miss) — broke through with three locked-in years and a partial 2026 guarantee. This would explain the next nine players drafted being unsigned, with the agents for the players chosen immediately after Mingo angling for the same terms or guarantees in the same ballpark.
No. 31 overall choice Felix Anudike-Uzomah‘s four-year Chiefs deal is fully guaranteed, while No. 34 pick Sam LaPorta (Lions) has a partial 2026 guarantee. This would explain the Nos. 32 and 33 choices remaining unsigned. Other issues — like offset language and signing bonus payouts — annually arise in rookie-deal negotiations, but most of these players will be signed by the time teams head to training camp. A few stragglers report late due to their contracts each year, but the 2011 CBA’s slot system — which the 2020 CBA kept in place — largely addressed the issues that once emerged frequently regarding rookie pacts.
Panthers Likely To Add Pass Rusher?
Earlier this month, we heard that the Panthers were presently disinclined to authorize a notable contract for a free agent pass rusher, and that fourth-year pro Yetur Gross-Matos would have a chance to retain his starting job opposite Brian Burns. We did note that GM Scott Fitterer would continue to monitor the edge defender market, and Joseph Person of The Athletic says he does, in fact, expect Carolina to add a pass rusher before the regular season opener (subscription required).
Person does not hazard a guess as to a specific player that Fitterer might target. Of course, there will always be cuts from other clubs that will quickly find a new home, but a top-flight pass rusher is highly unlikely to hit the market in the summer. And the existing market has thinned in the last several weeks, as Leonard Floyd (Bills) and Frank Clark (Broncos) have come off the board.
That still leaves plenty of worthwhile defenders available, including players like Yannick Ngakoue, Jadeveon Clowney, Robert Quinn, and Melvin Ingram. While some of those talents may be too rich for Fitterer’s liking — Ngakoue, for instance, was targeting a contract paying him $8MM-$10MM per year as of May — the Panthers will almost certainly be able to add an experienced edge player for an affordable price at some point in the next couple of months.
In the meantime, Gross-Matos, Marquis Haynes, and third-round rookie D.J. Johnson will continue to make their case for a starter’s role. According to Person, Haynes was particularly impressive during Carolina’s three-day mandatory minicamp last week, frequently getting into the offensive backfield and in the face of rookie quarterback Bryce Young.
Haynes, who has been used in a rotational capacity since the Panthers selected him in the fourth round of the 2018 draft, did see a career-high 41% snap share in 2022, and he produced five sacks (also a career best). Neither he nor Gross-Matos fared well in the eyes of Pro Football Focus’ metrics, but it is at least notable that he doubled Gross-Matos’ sack production and had three more QB hits while playing nearly 400 fewer snaps.
Person says that Haynes, who is entering a platform year and who is due just $1.4MM in 2023, may be better-suited to a stand-up OLB role in DC Ejiro Evero‘s 3-4 scheme than he was to a 4-3 look. He has certainly caught Young’s attention.
“He’s been great,” Young said. “There’s a lot of great competition here, so you see him in the backfield. It’s good on good. It’s elite guys going up against each other. It’s tough when you have to go up against him every day in practice. But on Sundays, it’s great knowing that you have a guy like that out there.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 6/15/23
Today’s minor transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: WR Javon Wims
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Nick Guggemos
- Placed on IR: TE Zach Davidson
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Greg Mabin
- Claimed off waivers (from Cardinals): S Josh Thomas
- Waived: S Vernon Scott
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Kekoa Crawford
- Signed ERFA tenders: QB Shane Buechele, TE Joe Fortson
- Waived: DB Anthony Witherstone
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: DB Collin Duncan, K Christopher Dunn
New York Giants
- Signed: DT Kobe Smith
- Waived/injured: WR/TE Dre Miller
Greg Mabin is the biggest name on the list, with the cornerback having appeared in 45 career games. The former UDFA has spent the past two seasons with the Titans, collecting 23 tackles in 11 total games. The Panthers have gotten an extended look at their cornerback depth during minicamp with Jaycee Horn (ankle) and Donte Jackson (Achilles) sidelined, so the team has probably decided they needed some veteran reinforcement at the position.
Javon Wims will now be looking for another opportunity after getting cut by the Cardinals. The former seventh-round pick showed a bit of a potential with the Bears, including a 2019 campaign where he had 18 catches for 186 yards and one touchdown. After getting into 13 games with the Bears in 2020, the wideout has only seen time in one game over the past two seasons. He spent most of the 2022 campaign on Arizona’s practice squad.
DB Notes: Baker, Gordon, Lions, Chinn
Budda Baker issued a trade request in February, though it did not become public until mid-April. The Pro Bowl safety remains with the Cardinals and attended the team’s minicamp this week. But the disgruntled defender did not participate in on-field work, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com tweets. This hold-in effort did involve some degree of participation, with Jonathan Gannon indicating Baker has texted with him regarding film and has been in contact with coaches.
“It was good to have him in the building today,” Gannon said (via Weinfuss), calling Baker’s situation “the business side of it.” “Smile on his face. He was asking a bunch of questions. I told the coaches, you better be on your toes cause he’s going to ask good questions. The dialogue has been great, and I’m ready to get [No.] 3 back out there.”
With the Cardinals rebuilding and unlikely to have Kyler Murray available to start the season, it would be interesting to see if they listened to offers for Baker. It also is understandable for Gannon to want the decorated safety back in the mix, given the talent the Cardinals lost on defense this offseason (J.J. Watt, Zach Allen, Byron Murphy, Markus Golden). Two years remain on Baker’s $14.75MM-per-year contract, which has paid out its guarantees.
Here is the latest DB news from around the NFL:
- The Bears now have three second-round cornerbacks on their roster, adding Tyrique Stevenson to a mix that includes Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon. A 2022 Round 2 choice, Gordon is now ticketed for a full-time slot role, Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Washington product played both inside and outside last season, logging a 97% snap rate in the 14 games he played. Gordon intercepted three passes and forced a fumble as a rookie, though Pro Football Focus did not view his coverage work especially fondly, ranking the 6-foot defender 108th among qualified corners.
- Will Harris moved from safety to slot corner with the Lions last year, but the team’s secondary overhaul included the additions of two hybrid players — C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Brian Branch. Both safeties have extensive slot experience, and Gardner-Johnson — despite leading the NFL with six interceptions last season as an Eagles safety — is expected to play plenty in the slot with the Lions. Harris should be expected to be a backup in 2023, per the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett, who notes the fifth-year defender should work as the top reserve on the outside and in the slot. A former third-round pick who re-signed on a one-year deal this offseason, Harris started 10 games last year.
- Used as a linebacker and a safety over his first three seasons, Jeremy Chinn is set to stay on a versatile track in Carolina. The former Panthers second-rounder has worked as a nickel presence throughout the offseason, David Newton of ESPN.com notes. New Panthers secondary coach Jonathan Cooley said the staff has not fully pinned down Chinn’s role, which will make this run-up to a contract year interesting. The Panthers held off on trading Chinn last year, keeping him as part of a young defensive core.
- Texans cornerback Steven Nelson hired a new agent recently, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who notes David Mulugheta is now representing the ninth-year defender. Nelson signed a two-year, $9MM deal with the Texans in 2022, but started all 15 games he played. Going into his age-30 season, the former Chiefs, Steelers and Eagles corner is running out of time to make another financial splash.
- The Cardinals made tiny splashes in the secondary recently, adding corners Dylan Mabin and Bobby Price. Both will be on league-minimum deals, with GOPHNX.com’s Howard Balzer tweeting Price will earn $1.01MM (the minimum for a fourth-year player) while Mabin is at $870K (the basement for a player with one year of experience). With neither assured of a roster spot, no money here is guaranteed.
Panthers Sign Round 2 WR Jonathan Mingo
JUNE 14: The Panthers will guarantee the first three years of Mingo’s deal, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. This marks more growth for second-rounders, with last year’s No. 39 overall pick — Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon — receiving a partial guarantee in Year 3.
JUNE 13: Jonathan Mingo will be expected to become one of Bryce Young‘s top targets this season. As the Panthers begin their minicamp, they will have their second-round pick under contract.
The Ole Miss product signed his four-year rookie deal Tuesday, per the team, locking him down through the 2026 season. Going off the board 39th overall, Mingo will see all or most of his third year fully guaranteed. No. 37 overall pick Derick Hall received three years fully guaranteed from the Seahawks and a partial fourth-year guarantee.
Carolina overhauled its receiving corps recently, disbanding the two-plus-year D.J. Moore–Chosen Anderson tandem by trading the latter. The Panthers then included Moore in their blockbuster swap with the Bears, giving them Young draft real estate. The No. 1 overall pick is the final unsigned Panther from the 2023 draft class.
Ole Miss has delivered multiple impact wide receivers to the NFL over the past few years, with each of the Rebels’ top pass catchers going off the board in Round 2. Both A.J. Brown and D.K. Metcalf emerged as No. 1-caliber targets early in their careers. Elijah Moore has not done so yet, but the new Browns weapon remains a promising wideout. The Jets chose Moore in the 2021 second round. Mingo will attempt to follow the ex-Rebels’ paths.
Scouts Inc. rated Mingo as its No. 37 overall prospect. The 220-pound Mississippi native clocked a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the Combine, coming off a productive 2022 season. Mingo is not heading to Charlotte after a prolific career, however, having only topped 300 receiving yards in one of his four Rebels seasons. He totaled 51 receptions — his only season with more than 27 grabs — for 861 yards and five touchdowns last season but still managed to become one of the first wideouts chosen this year.
The Panthers signed Adam Thielen and DJ Chark this offseason and still roster former second-round pick Terrace Marshall. While they dealt their longtime No. 1 target (Moore), Mingo profiles as the most likely long-term Young teammate among the team’s current receivers. During negotiations with the Bears, the Panthers successfully kept the No. 39 pick out of the deal. They instead included No. 61 and a 2025 second-rounder. Effectively prioritizing No. 39 over two second-round picks, the Panthers are making a notable bet on Mingo being a long-term contributor.
Panthers, Brian Burns Begin Extension Talks
Expected to begin post-draft, the extension talks between the Panthers and Brian Burns look to be underway. The fifth-year edge rusher confirmed (via ESPN.com’s David Newton) conversations have started.
Burns has become one of the NFL’s better outside rushers. He set a new career high with 12.5 sacks last season and has been named an original-ballot Pro Bowler in each of the past two years. The Panthers will need to pay Burns near the top of the D-end/rush-linebacker market, something the Florida State alum confirmed Tuesday. The organization has been on this path for a bit now, and a run of rebuffed trade overtures suggests Burns will do very well on his second contract.
Panthers GM Scott Fitterer said earlier this offseason Burns is squarely in line for an extension, joining Derrick Brown in that regard. The Bears asked about both D-linemen during the teams’ trade talks in March, a process that ended with D.J. Moore dealt to Chicago. While Burns and Brown’s rookie deals factored into Moore being the one traded, the standout edge will likely soon be attached to a lucrative second contract.
Maxx Crosby became the most recent player to infiltrate the top five on the edge market. T.J. Watt‘s $28MM-per-year deal tops that salary hierarchy presently, and although the Steelers inked the former Defensive Player of the Year to that deal in September 2021, Burns will have a difficult time exceeding that accord. That said, Nick Bosa is poised to secure an extension north of $30MM on average. That could change the market. Even if Bosa’s deal does not ultimately impact the Panthers’ Burns talks, the team’s top pass rusher is surely targeting a number north of the deals given to Crosby ($23.5MM AAV) and Bradley Chubb ($22MM) last year. Burns’ next deal will likely make him a top-five or top-six edge, Joe Person of The Athletic notes (subscription required).
Burns’ 38 sacks rank 11th since 2019. While Pro Football Focus has not rated Burns’ run defense as particularly sound, he has generated immense trade interest. Prior to the Bears’ inquiry, the Rams made an aggressive pursuit. It is widely known the Panthers turned down a two-first-rounder Rams offer for Burns before last year’s deadline. The picks were to come in 2024 and ’25, but Burns’ camp can use that declined offer as clear evidence of the fifth-year defender’s value to the team.
The former Ron Rivera-era investment stands to be the anchor pass rusher in Ejiro Evero‘s defensive scheme. Chubb served in that capacity for part of last season, but the Broncos dealt him to the Dolphins at the deadline. The Panthers do not have another notable front-seven contract on their books, having convinced Shaq Thompson to accept a pay cut in exchange for a bit more in 2023 guarantees. Brown, who is now extension-eligible but can be kept on his rookie deal through 2024, figures to follow Burns on the extension radar next year.
The Panthers can string these negotiations out, with the franchise tag at their disposal, but another significant salary cap bump is expected in 2024. Locking down Burns now would be the prudent move for Carolina, which is transitioning to a new coaching staff for the second time in Burns’ career. Doing a deal now also stands to reduce Burns’ cap number — presently at $16MM, due to the Panthers exercising his fifth-year option in May 2022 — for the ’23 season.