Panthers will start training camp without 3 players, including their only punter
The Carolina Panthers will open training camp without three players — including their only punter.
The team announced Monday that it placed tight end Tommy Tremble and wide receiver Dan Chisena on the active/physically unable to perform (PUP) list and punter Sam Martin on the active/non-football injury (NFI) list.
All three can be activated at any time during camp. Veterans report to training camp on Tuesday, with practice beginning Wednesday.
Martin showing up on the NFI list was a bit of a surprise. The punter, who was brought in during free agency after his latest stint with the Buffalo Bills to replace the departing Johnny Hekker, was active during the team’s open workouts over the spring and summer. He has a hamstring injury and isn’t expected to miss much time, a league source told The Charlotte Observer.
Tremble’s appearance on the PUP list, conversely, wasn’t surprising. The 25-year-old tight end underwent successful back surgery in May. Canales said that Tremble would be ready to rehab by training camp in July, though an exact timeline remained unclear. He showed up on and off the injury report with hamstring issues at times through 2024 before having a strong finish to his year — which helped get him a two-year extension in Carolina this offseason.
Chisena is sidelined with a calf injury, according to a league source, and like Martin isn’t expected to miss much time. His early absence isn’t ideal considering how crowded this wide receiver room is. He made a name for himself on special teams last season and also got his chance as a receiver in the team’s final five games — a stretch in which he caught three passes for 37 yards.
Quick hits
▪ Nic Scourton, the Panthers’ second-round pick in this year’s draft, officially signed with the Panthers on Monday after agreeing to terms with the team on Saturday. He signed a four-year deal. This was the case for many second-round picks across the NFL — after the Browns and Texans doled out fully guaranteed deals for their second-round selections after the draft. The Panthers now have their eight-player draft class under contract.
▪ The Panthers also released their pre-training camp tryout list. That list included Jaylon Allen (DE, Memphis), Justin Ball (TE, Mississippi State), Michael Batton (LB, Houston), Kenny Dyson (LB, Bryant), Garnett Hollis (DB, West Virginia), Tyler Mabry (TE, Maryland), Nate Matlack (DE, Pittsburgh), Sevonne Rhea (WR, Lamar), Tre Swilling (DB, Georgia Tech), Jaheim Thomas (LB, Wisconsin), Graham Walker (TE, Rice), JJ Weaver (LB, Kentucky), Nick Whiteside (DB, Saginaw Valley State) and Debo Williams (LB, South Carolina).
This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 4:54 PM.
