Panthers final cuts: Carolina waives 2022 draft pick ahead of NFL’s final cut deadline
The Panthers have turned the page on linebacker Brandon Smith.
On Tuesday, the team waived Smith ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. 53-man roster deadline, three league sources told The Observer. Smith, 22, will now be subject to waivers.
The Panthers selected Smith with the 120th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. The Penn State alum appeared in 12 games as a rookie before suffering an ankle injury.
Smith returned this offseason following a regime change. In the wake of Matt Rhule’s firing and Steve Wilks’ interim tenure, the Panthers hired Frank Reich to lead the squad in January.
Reich hired defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero to run the defense. Evero then converted the defense from a 4-3 front to a 3-4 attack. Smith was unable to stand out after the team retained Shaq Thompson with a pay cut and signed Kamu Grugier-Hill to bolster the depth chart.
With Thompson and Frankie Luvu working with the starters and Grugier-Hill making plays throughout the summer, Smith faded into the background. He was ultimately one of the more notable casualties of the depth chart numbers game.
Smith will look for a new home on waivers after producing eight tackles during his rookie season. A rare athlete at the position, Smith could be claimed based solely on his intriguing traits.
This story was originally published August 29, 2023 at 10:07 AM with the headline "Panthers final cuts: Carolina waives 2022 draft pick ahead of NFL’s final cut deadline."
