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The Carolina Panthers signed two rookies Sunday, filling their roster to the regular-season limit of 53 players.
Whether the Panthers got exactly what they were looking for is another matter.
Running back Tyrell Sutton – cut by the Green Bay Packers on Saturday – will give the Panthers depth at that position and at kick returner. But he doesn't appear to give the Panthers a solution at punt returner, where other players struggled in the preseason.
Defensive tackle Ra'Shon "Sonny" Harris (6-foot-5, 300 pounds), the Pittsburgh Steelers' sixth-round choice in last spring's NFL draft, was released by the reigning Super Bowl champs Saturday. He'll provide depth to an already-suspect interior line.
He had 47 tackles and three sacks last season at Oregon.
Sutton rushed for 191 yards (4.8-yard average) and a touchdown as an undrafted free agent for the Packers in the preseason. He came out of Northwestern as the Wildcats' second all-time leading rusher with 3,886 career yards. But he didn't returned punts in college or with the Packers.
He did return five kickoffs for a 24.4-yard average for Green Bay.
For now, that seems to leave the Panthers' punt-returning duties to either Kenneth Moore or rookie Captain Munnerlyn, both of whom fumbled in Thursday's exhibition loss against the Steelers.
General manager Marty Hurney said the team will continue to look for a punt returner.
"We constantly do that, so we'll see," Hurney said. "Right now we have Kenny and Captain, but it's something we'll continue to address."
Sutton (5-8, 213) will play behind DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Michael Goodson in the Panthers' backfield. Stewart, though, hasn't practiced since Aug. 11 with a sore Achilles. He said Thursday he hopes to be ready for the Panthers' regular-season opener Sept. 13 against Philadelphia.
-- The Panthers signed five players – all of whom they cut Saturday and weren't signed by other teams Sunday – to their practice squad: Quarterback Hunter Cantwell, receiver Jason Chery, linebackers Mortty Ivy and Kelvin Smith and defensive tackle George Hypolite. The Panthers can sign three more players to the practice squad.
