The Carolina Panthers just started their NFL roster trim, waiving six players and releasing another with an injury settlement on Saturday, just before Sunday’s final cutdown day. Coach Dave Canales, whose team finished their preseason 3-1, made good on his word that early moves would come in waves as teams must get down to 53 players from 90 (or 91) by Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.
Six Players Are Out, Others Get a Shot
First up, the Panthers said goodbye to running back Miles Davis, tight end Caden Prieskorn, defensive tackles Kyon Barrs and Tywone Malone, and wide receivers Elijah Cooks and Roc Taylor, who were all waived. Offensive tackle Ryan Hayes was waived, injured, and wide receiver/special teams ace Dan Chisena was released with an injury settlement. Canales was clear about one thing: the front office wants to give these guys every chance to land on another squad. He wants them exposed to the rest of the league, giving other teams a better opportunity to watch their film and pick them up. It’s tough news for those players, but it’s the nature of the beast this time of year.
Bobby Okereke Inks a Deal for ILB2 Competition
While players were heading out, one veteran is coming in. The Panthers agreed to terms with 30-year-old linebacker Bobby Okereke on a one-year deal Saturday. This move is huge because questions have been swirling around inside linebacker all offseason. Okereke, who spent three seasons with the New York Giants and four with the Indianapolis Colts, is expected to immediately jump into the competition for the ILB2 role in their 3-4 base defense, alongside Devin Lloyd. He sat out the offseason program and training camp, but his resume is solid: 805 career total tackles, 11 forced fumbles, 7.5 sacks, and seven interceptions. Last season, he started 17 games for the Giants and racked up 143 tackles. He’s a proven vet, and that kind of experience is going to challenge guys like Claudin Cherelus and Trevin Wallace, who have been battling for the spot all spring and summer but haven’t really locked it down. Wallace did get a sack on Friday night against the Texans, so it’s not like he’s going down without a fight.
Roster Crunch Is Real, And It’s Just Getting Started
General manager Dan Morgan’s crew has a lot to sort out before Sunday’s deadline. Canales laid out some of the challenges, asking, “How do you keep three quarterbacks and four running backs? How do you keep seven receivers, eight receivers?” These are the tough calls coming over the next couple of days. The team is also expected to keep linebacker Mapalo Mwansa, taking advantage of an international roster exemption. Canales said Mwansa can really help on special teams and played quality snaps on defense throughout the preseason. It’s going to be a wild ride until Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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