The Carolina Panthers have brought in quite a few new pieces for their roster since hiring head coach Frank Reich, and those additions haven’t stopped over the summer. With readily apparent needs on defense, the Panthers added Justin Houston and Troy Hill to their depth chart this summer with the hope the veterans will provide a spark.
What will Carolina’s roster look like in Week 1? Here’s how we project the Panthers’ 53-man depth chart in advance of the NFL‘s Aug. 29 cutdown date.
Carolina Panthers 53-Man Roster Projection
Quarterback
- In: Bryce Young, Andy Dalton, Matt Corral
- Out: Jake Luton
Carolina’s offensive line hasn’t given Young much of a chance to get acclimated to NFL life. The No. 1 overall pick has been pressured on seven of his 15 dropbacks through two preseason games while taking two sacks.
Dalton remains the Panthers’ clear backup, but Corral has done enough during the preseason to ensure he won’t be a surprise cut. Carolina invested a third-round pick in Corral in last year’s draft, so he probably wasn’t going to be waived unless he totally collapsed during the exhibition campaign.
Things were clicking for the @panthers offense on their last drive 🔥
📺: #CARvsNYG on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/L9mPiySUki pic.twitter.com/UsvTlqdfW8— NFL (@NFL) August 19, 2023
Corral shined against the Giants on Friday night, completing nine of 13 attempts for 71 yards while adding a 13-yard rush. The NFL’s new third quarterback rule will allow Corral to be inactive on game days while remaining eligible to enter a contest in the event of an injury emergency.
Running Back
- In: Miles Sanders, Chuba Hubbard, Rasheem Blackshear
- Out: Spencer Brown, Camerun Peoples
After trading Christian McCaffrey last fall and watching D’Onta Foreman depart via free agency in the spring, the Panthers had to rethink their running back depth chart over the offseason.
Carolina gave Sanders the biggest contract of any free agent running back, and he’s expected to serve in something close to a three-down role. Sanders has missed time with a groin injury and probably won’t play in the preseason, while Hubbard hurt his ankle against the Giants. But both backs returned to practice on Monday.
Wide Receiver
- In: Adam Thielen, DJ Chark, Jonathan Mingo, Terrace Marshall Jr., Laviska Shenault Jr., Shi Smith
- Out: Gary Jennings, C.J. Saunders, Josh Vann, Javon Wims, Derek Wright
Thielen and Chark are locked in as the Panthers’ top two receivers, while Mingo may have already defeated Marshall for the club’s WR3 job. That’s partially due to Marshall’s health, as a back injury sidelined the third-year WR for Carolina’s most recent preseason game.
But Mingo has also made plays when called upon. He saw the field in three-WR sets against the Giants, ran a route on 100% of his plays, earned two targets, and hauled in one for 15 yards.
Jonathan Mingo bulldozer lol pic.twitter.com/SjkNcMtNmV
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) August 18, 2023
Shenault offers versatility on the back end of the Panthers’ receiver depth chart, while Smith was the team’s primary kick returner in 2022. Both receivers probably became roster locks when Carolina placed fellow pass catcher Damiere Byrd on injured reserve on Aug. 16.
Tight End
- In: Hayden Hurst, Ian Thomas, Tommy Tremble
- Out: Giovanni Ricci, Stephen Sullivan
Another new addition to Carolina’s pass-catching unit, Hurst managed 52 receptions for the Bengals last season. The Panthers haven’t had a receiving threat at tight end in several years, and Hurst will act as a safety blanket for Young, especially in the red zone.
Hurst’s presence pushes Thomas into a No. 2 role, which is probably a better fit for his skill set and ceiling. Tremble, a third-round pick in 2021, has just 39 receptions through two seasons and will only become more marginalized now that Hurst is in town.
We’ve had Ricci making the Panthers’ roster in previous projections, but he’s been pushed out by the club’s recent additions at other positions. He could still be a practice squad candidate, where he’d be eligible for promotion on game days. Sullivan is dealing with an injury and hasn’t played this preseason.
Offensive Line
- In: Ikem Ekwonu, Brady Christensen, Bradley Bozeman, Chandler Zavala, Taylor Moton, Cameron Erving, Cade Mays, Justin McCray, Nash Jensen
- Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) List: Austin Corbett
- Out: Deonte Brown, Larnel Coleman, J.D. DiRenzo, Michael Jordan, Ricky Lee, Sam Tecklenburg
Corbett’s ACL tear in the 2022 regular-season finale will force him to begin the season on the PUP list and miss at least four games. His absence will create a hole at right guard that the Panthers are still trying to fill.
Zavala, McCray, and Jensen have all seen first-team reps at RG. Zavala, the club’s fourth-round pick in April’s draft, earned the start against the Giants on Friday and appears to be the leader in the clubhouse. Jensen, a rookie undrafted free agent, posted the best PFF pass-blocking grade (83.3) of any Carolina OL against New York.
Defensive Line
- In: Derrick Brown, Shy Tuttle, DeShawn Williams, Henry Anderson, Raequan Williams
- Out: Antwuan Jackson, LaBryan Ray, Taylor Stallworth, Nick Thurman
The Panthers made the surprising decision to cut Marquan McCall on Aug. 21, clearing a path for Raequan Williams to earn a roster spot along Carolina’s defensive line.
Williams was outstanding against the Giants in Week 2 of the preseason. Earning a start at nose tackle, Williams posted two pressures, a sack, three run stops, and a pass breakup.
Brown is the Panthers’ best player along their defensive line and should be in line for an extension after Carolina exercised his fifth-year option for 2024. He’s coming off the best season of his career, one in which he rarely left the field while playing nearly 900 defensive snaps.
How Brown adjusts to playing defensive end in a 3-4 scheme is something to watch as the season gets underway.
EDGE
- In: Brian Burns, Justin Houston, Yetur Gross-Matos, Marquis Haynes Sr., DJ Johnson, Amaré Barno
- Out: Kobe Jones, Eku Leota, Jordan Thomas
At long last, the Panthers added a free agent pass rusher. Carolina agreed to terms with Houston on Aug. 6, and he immediately became the second-best edge defender on their roster. Houston is 34 years old, so the Panthers will have to limit his usage and hope another pass rusher can step up alongside Burns.
Gross-Matos, a former second-round pick, is facing a make-or-break campaign as he enters his fourth NFL season. Haynes was dealing with a back injury that’s kept him out of the preseason, allowing Johnson and Barno to grab valuable reps, but he returned to practice on Monday.
Linebacker
- In: Frankie Luvu, Shaq Thompson, Deion Jones, Kamu Grugier-Hill
- Out: Ace Eley, Bumper Pool, Brandon Smith, Chandler Wooten
The Panthers traded up to select Smith out of Penn State in the 2022 draft, but they may have already soured on him. When Carolina signed Jones in early August, Reich listed off the club’s linebacker contributors but conveniently didn’t mention Smith.
Luvu and Thompson are locks, while Grugier-Hill is arguably the Panthers’ best special teamer. Carolina wouldn’t have signed Jones if they were comfortable with Smith’s progress. The Panthers might be interested in stashing Smith on their practice squad, but he may prefer a fresh start (if he even clears waivers).
Cornerback
- In: Jaycee Horn, Donte Jackson, CJ Henderson, Keith Taylor Jr., Troy Hill
- Out: Greg Mabin, Mac McCain, Herb Miller, Mark Milton, Stantley Thomas-Oliver III, Rejzohn Wright
Jackson suffered an ankle injury on Friday night, but it doesn’t appear to be serious. Provided he’s healthy, Jackson will start alongside Horn in Week 1.
The Panthers added Hill on Aug. 20, reuniting him with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, with whom Hill worked when both were on the Rams. Hill is a versatile player with inside/outside capabilities who should make for an ideal backup in the secondary.
We’re only keeping five cornerbacks, but Carolina has several safeties capable of playing a CB role.
Safety
- In: Vonn Bell, Xavier Woods, Jeremy Chinn, Jammie Robinson, Sam Franklin Jr., Eric Rowe
- Out: Collin Duncan, Josh Thomas
Bell and Woods complement each other perfectly as the Panthers’ starting safeties. At the same time, Carolina also added a future starting option by selecting Robinson in the third round of this year’s draft.
Chinn is the Panthers’ ace in the hole. He can play in the back end, as a big nickel, or at linebacker, which should appeal to Evero as he devises multiple looks for Carolina. Rowe also offers cornerback versatility, and the Panthers should value his experience in the secondary.
Specialists
- In: Eddy Pineiro (K), Johnny Hekker (P), JJ Jansen (LS)
- Out: Matthew Wright (K)
The Panthers extended Pineiro this offseason and traded former kicker Zane Gonzalez to the Broncos. Carolina signed Wright because Pinerio is dealing with a groin injury, but the latter should be ready for Week 1.
