Final Panthers 53-man roster projection: Who will make up Frank Reich’s initial 2023 squad?
The auditions are over.
The Panthers completed their preseason slate on Friday with a 26-17 loss to the Detroit Lions at Bank of America Stadium. Now, the front office and coaching staff will look to make 37 roster reductions in order to get the depth chart to 53 players.
Over the next few days, the Panthers will reduce their roster and scan the waiver wire to create the best possible roster for Week 1’s matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. With the Aug. 29 roster cutdown deadline (Tuesday, 4 p.m.) looming, the transaction wheel is about spin at a furious pace over the next week.
Here is our final 53-man roster projection ahead of the cut-down deadline:
Quarterback (3)
Who’s in: Bryce Young, Andy Dalton, Matt Corral
Who’s out: Jake Luton
Young has been the No. 1 quarterback since June, and he will continue to lead the offense for the foreseeable future. Dalton was signed to be the veteran backup and mentor to Young early on in his career, and nothing this summer has changed that outlook. With the new QB3 rule in place, Corral found a much-needed parachute with the new regime. After a solid enough effort in the preseason, the 2022 third-round pick will stick around this season.
Running back (3)
Who’s in: Miles Sanders, Chuba Hubbard, Raheem Blackshear
Who’s out: Spencer Brown, Camerun Peoples
Sanders signed the most lucrative running back deal on the free-agent market this offseason. The veteran playmaker will lead the charge out of the backfield as Hubbard works as a change-of-pace back. Blackshear will move around the backfield as a gadget weapon and be the primary returner on kickoffs and punts. Brown, who started the preseason finale, should stick around on the practice squad if he passes through waivers.
Tight end (3)
Who’s in: Hayden Hurst, Ian Thomas, Tommy Tremble
Who’s out: Stephen Sullivan, Giovanni Ricci
Hurst had a great summer after missing most of the offseason program as he recovered from hernia surgery. Thomas will be Hurst’s partner in two-tight end sets, while Tremble will back up both veterans. Ricci has special teams upside but the group seems to be pegged for three players at the moment.
The Panthers should monitor the waiver wire at tight end if Tremble’s uneven summer created any sort of concern. Tremble didn’t play particularly well in the preseason finale.
Wide receiver (6)
Who’s in: Adam Thielen, DJ Chark, Jonathan Mingo, Terrace Marshall, Laviska Shenault, Derek Wright
Who’s out: Shi Smith, Josh Vann, Gary Jennings, C.J. Saunders, Javon Wims
The Panthers are monitoring a trio of injuries at the position. Chark (hamstring), Shenault (concussion) and Marshall (back) were all sidelined during the final week of the preseason. Still, with an extra week between the end of the exhibition slate and the regular season, the Panthers could get at least two of those playmakers back in time for Week 1.
Thielen is expected to lead the group with Chark, Mingo and Marshall rotating into different roles. Shenault will be used as a versatile piece, while Wright will supplement the group with intriguing size and special teams ability. Wright, a practice-squad holdover, worked with the first-team offense for the preseason finale, and he and Young had an excellent connection in the offseason program and early in training camp.
Wims and Smith had their moments during the summer, but it seems like they might just miss the cut. The Panthers should be scanning the waiver wire for upgrades on the depth chart.
Offensive line (9)
Who’s in: Ikem Ekwonu (LT), Brady Christensen (LG), Bradley Bozeman (C), Chandler Zavala (RG), Taylor Moton (RT), Cade Mays, Cam Erving, Nash Jensen, Justin McCray
Who’s out: Larnel Coleman, Ricky Lee, Michael Jordan, J.D. Direnzo, Deonte Brown, Sam Tecklenburg
PUP: Austin Corbett
Zavala seemingly solidified himself as the fill-in starting right guard with a solid performance against the Lions on Friday. As the Panthers await Corbett’s return, they’ll showcase Zavala with the four returning starters from last season.
The depth group is an interesting puzzle to figure out because the Panthers really didn’t get much out of their veteran backups this summer, and vested players (with four or more years of experience) have their salaries guaranteed on Sunday of Week 1.
McCray is a James Campen favorite, while Erving is a tremendous leader. Mays is the most versatile player on the line and he could be the unit’s true sixth man this season. Jensen, an undrafted rookie, has earned the right to be on the roster with his play this summer.
It would not be surprising to see the Panthers claim a lineman or two off the wavier wire following final cuts.
Defensive line (6)
Who’s in: Derrick Brown, Shy Tuttle, DeShawn Williams, Henry Anderson, Raequan Williams, LaBryan Ray
Who’s out: Nick Thurman, Taylor Stallworth, Antwuan Jackson
The transition to a 3-4 front has greatly impacted the defensive depth chart. Brown and Tuttle will be full-time starters, while Anderson, Ray, DeShawn Williams and Raequan Williams will rotate around and behind them.
Ray and Raequan Williams earned plenty of playing time during the preseason and impressed in camp. Still, the Panthers could look at the defensive line as a spot to upgrade on the waiver wire.
Inside linebacker (5)
Who’s in: Shaq Thompson, Frankie Luvu, Deion Jones, Kamu Grugier-Hill, Chandler Wooten
Who’s out: Brandon Smith, Ace Eley, Bumper Pool
The top four players at inside linebacker have been solidified since training camp ended at Wofford College earlier this month. Thompson and Luvu will work in the base defense, while Jones will rotate in as a third linebacker in other packages. Grugier-Hill, after producing several highlight plays in camp, should also see time on defense as well.
Jones and Grugier-Hill should also be regulars on special teams with Wooten supplementing the depth in the third phase as a reliable ace.
Outside linebacker (6)
Who’s in: Brian Burns, Justin Houston, Marquis Haynes, Yetur Gross-Matos, DJ Johnson, Amare Barno
Who’s out: Eku Leota, Kobe Jones, Jordan Thomas
With Barno dealing with an injury, the Panthers will probably hang onto six pass rushers at outside linebacker.
Burns, Houston and Haynes will be the three main pass rushers for the group, while Gross-Matos rotates around in different spots to complement his fellow outside linebackers. Johnson, the team’s third-round pick, will be developed on defense, while serving as a special teams contributor.
Gross-Matos is an awkward fit for the outside linebacker position, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was traded to pick up some sort of value and open up a space for Jones or Leota to make the roster. Leota, an undrafted rookie, has thrived since the second week of training camp.
Barno earns the sixth spot because of his special teams upside and raw athleticism. The 2022 sixth-round pick has rare size and speed for a gunner on punt coverage.
Defensive back (9)
Who’s in: Jaycee Horn, Donte Jackson, CJ Henderson, Vonn Bell, Xavier Woods, Jeremy Chinn, Troy Hill, Jammie Robinson, Sam Franklin
Who’s out: Eric Rowe, Keith Taylor, Stantley Thomas-Oliver, Mark Milton, Collin Duncan, Greg Mabin, Mac McCain, Herb Miller, Josh Thomas, Rejzohn Wright
Horn, Jackson, Henderson, Woods, Bell and Chinn will make up the primary secondary group this season. Hill, Robinson and Franklin will provide support on the depth chart and contribute on special teams.
Taylor had a rough preseason finale, while Thomas-Oliver missed the final two games of the preseason due to injury. The Panthers likely feel comfortable risking both former draft picks to the waiver wire. The cornerback depth chart probably needs an addition ahead of Week 1.
Special teams (3)
Who’s in: Johnny Hekker (P), JJ Jansen (LS), Eddy Piñeiro (K)
Who’s out: Matthew Wright
Wright did a solid job filling in for Piñeiro during the preseason. But Piñeiro has been and will be the starting kicker for the 2023 season. Jansen and Hekker have a lot of fun at practice and will continue to tag team on punt coverage this season.
This story was originally published August 26, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
