Panthers Cut QB Jake Luton, 10 Others
The Panthers have a few more days until they need to reduce their roster to 53 players, but the front office has already started the process. The team announced that they’ve waived the following 11 player:
- OT Larnel Coleman
- S Collin Duncan
- DL Antwuan Jackson
- WR Gary Jennings
- QB Jake Luton
- RB Camerun Peoples
- LB Bumper Pool
- WR CJ Saunders
- S Josh Thomas
- K Matthew Wright
- CB Rejzohn Wright
While none of these cuts are particularly surprising, there are still some notable players in the bunch. As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets, the Panthers may be starting the process early and trying to tempt another squad to make a waiver claim, which would improve Carolina’s spot in the rankings.
Considering his position, Luton is one of the bigger names on the list. The quarterback hasn’t seen the field for a regular season game since he was winless in three starts with the Jaguars in 2020, but he’s still had backup gigs over the past few years, with the QB having also spent time with the Seahawks, Dolphins, and Saints. The former sixth-round pick joined the Panthers back in July.
Wright will surely find himself in the kicker rolodex once teams get hit with injuries. He was the Jaguars’ (mostly) full-time kicker in 2021, connecting on 87.5 percent of his field goal attempts and 86.7 percent of his extra point tries. He split the 2022 campaign between the Chiefs and Steelers, converting 15 of his 18 FGAs and all 15 of his XPAs.
Earlier today, head coach Frank Reich told reporters that the organization was going to have some difficult decisions to make before Tuesday’s roster deadline. As of today, the Panthers still have to cut 26 players.
“Literally every position has battles in place, not just for the roster, but you know, play time, who’s starting, how we’re looking at things,” Reich said (via the team’s website). “But the good news is they’re hard decisions, right? Because we feel good about the guys we have on our roster.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/16/23
XFL additions and other post-rookie minicamp moves led to some action on the waiver wire Tuesday. As other teams add talent from the latest XFL effort, here are the latest NFL moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Placed on IR: RB B.J. Baylor
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Ayinde Eley, DL Antwuan Jackson, WR Gary Jennings, WR Marquez Stevenson, LB/TE Jordan Thomas
- Waived/injured: S Nico Bolden
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Chris Westry
Detroit Lions
- Signed: K John Parker Romo
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed (from Dolphins): T DJ Scaife
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Ian Swenson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: TE Sammis Reyes
- Released: S Deionte Thompson
Los Angeles Rams
- Claimed (from Saints): DB Vincent Gray
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: FB Zach Ojile, OL Sam Schlueter
New York Giants
- Released from PUP (via injury settlement): S Terrell Burgess
New York Jets
- Claimed (from Falcons): CB Javelin Guidry
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: WR Charleston Rambo
- Waived: T Jarrid Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Claimed (from Cardinals): DL Manny Jones
- Placed on IR: DT Renell Wren
A former 60-meter dash finalist at the U.S. Indoor Track and Field Championships, Guidry has bounced around the league. But the Jets are bringing back the young cornerback. Guidry played 28 games for the team from 2020-21. A fellow DB, Westry started two games for the Ravens in 2021; he will relocate to Cleveland.
Jackson, Jennings and Thomas all played in the XFL this season and auditioned for the Panthers at their recent rookie minicamp. The Panthers tried Thomas at both tight end and linebacker over the weekend. Although Thomas played in the most recent XFL effort, he was in Colts camp — under current Panthers HC Frank Reich — in 2021. This is Jennings’ seventh NFL stop. The former Seahawks fourth-round pick has not played in the NFL since his 2019 rookie year in Seattle.
Romo joins a Lions team carrying Michael Badgley as its incumbent kicker. The younger specialist has not yet kicked in an NFL game, but the former Virginia Tech kicker played in the XFL this season, making 17 of 19 field goal tries. This included a 57-yarder.