The Panthers had first position for waiver claims after posting the worst record in the league last season and they put it to good use on Wednesday.
Carolina claimed six players to shake up their 53-man roster a day after setting it and they focused on cornerback above all other spots. They claimed Keenan Isaac, Shemar Bartholomew, and Tariq Castro-Fields after trading for Michael Jackson last week and they cut loose a couple of defensive backs that made the initial cut.
Head coach Dave Canales said that he and General Manager Dan Morgan tried to find players who fit what they want to do on defense and will now look to see which of the players step up to make the most of their opportunity.
“We’ve got guys to look at, so just again gathering as much information,” Canales said, via the team’s website. “We were hoping for somebody to just step up and take it and really show us what they can do. For me, it’s my responsibility, Dan and I, to really bring in the traits and the type of guys that we’re looking for. So I’m excited to get the look, [for someone] to show up and take it.”
Jaycee Horn, Troy Hill, and fifth-round pick Chau Smith-Wade are the longer-tenured corners and the Panthers will have a lot of work to do to mesh all the pieces into a cohesive unit before they head to New Orleans on September 8.
After finishing with the league’s worst record in 2023, the Panthers currently are No. 1 in the waiver-claiming order.
They are taking advantage of it by picking up at least five players who were let go by other teams.
Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reports Carolina has claimed outside linebacker Jamie Sheriff, cornerback Shemar Bartholomew, cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields, and cornerback Keenan Isaac. Jordan Schultz reports the team has also claimed linebacker Jon Rhattigan.
Sheriff and Rattigan were cut from the Seahawks, Bartholomew from the Jets, Castro-Fields from Washington, and Isaac from the Buccaneers.
Of the players acquired, Rhattigan has the most experience. He’s appeared in 36 games for Seattle since 2021, including all 17 in 2023. He was on the field for 66 percent of the club’s special teams snaps and two percent of defensive snaps.
Castro-Fields has appeared in 10 games with one start, eight of which came last season. He was on the field for 21 defensive snaps and 87 special teams snaps in 2023. Isaac appeared in two games for Tampa Bay last year.
Sheriff and Bartholomew have not yet appeared in a regular-season game.
Carolina will need to make corresponding moves to officially add the five players to the 53-man roster. Carolina will need to make corresponding moves to officially add the five players to the 53-man roster.Carolina will need to make corresponding moves to officially add the five players to the 53-man roster.
The Panthers also are signing veteran defensive back Lonnie Johnson Jr. to their practice squad, giving them four new corners. Johnson played 12 games for New Orleans last year, spending most of his time on special teams. He has 15 career passes defensed with four interceptions in 68 games.
The Panthers have set their initial 53-man roster for the 2024 season and it does not include 2021 second-round pick Terrace Marshall Jr.
The wide receiver was waived along with 24 other players on Tuesday. Marshall appeared in 36 games for the team and had 64 catches for 767 yards and a touchdown while in Carolina.
Defensive tackle Junior Aho, tackle Tyler Smith, defensive tackle Ulumoo Ale, guard Jack Anderson, linebacker Aaron Beasley, cornerback Dicaprio Bootle, guard Mason Brooks, safety Alex Cook, tackle Jeremiah Crawford, cornerback Willie Drew, linebacker Kenny Dyson, tight end Feleipe Franks, tackle Ricky Lee, linebacker Derrick McLendon, cornerback Quandre Mosely, defensive tackle Walter Palmore, wide receiver Sam Pinckney, quarterback Jack Plummer, running back Jaden Shirden, defensive tackle TJ Smith, wide receiver Mike Strachan, linebacker Luiji Vilain, cornerback Chris Wilcox, and linebacker Chandler Wooten were also waived.
The Panthers placed cornerback Dane Jackson, safety Sam Franklin, linebacker Tae Davis, and linebacker Cam Gill on injured reserve. Jackson and Franklin have been designated as eligible to return in the regular season.
Guard Ike Boettger, running back Mike Boone, safety Rudy Ford, tight end Jacob Hollister, tight end Jesper Horsted, and tight end Jordan Matthews were all released while, as previously reported, edge rushers Amare Barno and DJ Wonnum remain on the physically unable to perform list. Running back Jonathon Brooks will stay on the non-football injury list.
All rosters are likely to change in the coming days and the Panthers may see more movement than most. They have the No. 1 position in waiver claims, so they will have their pick of players let go around the league on Tuesday.
DJ Wonnum’s Panthers debut won’t take place in any of the team’s first four games.
According to multiple reports, Wonnum will remain on the physically unable to perform list through the team’s cut to 53 players on Tuesday. Wonnum, who signed with the Panthers this offseason, is recovering from a torn quad.
Wonnum’s not the only edge rusher who will be on the PUP list to start the year. Multiple reports say that Amare Barno will also miss at least the first four games of the season as he works his way back from a knee injury.
Rookie running back Jonathon Brooks will be staying on the non-football injury list, so the Panthers will have several returning players in the pipeline once the regular season starts.
Panthers head coach Dave Canales said this summer that the team hoped to have rookie running back Jonathon Brooks in the lineup around Week Three or Four, but it will be a little later than that.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the Panthers will leave Brooks on the non-football injury list for the start of the regular season. That will remove him from the active roster and will leave him ineligible to play in the first four games of the regular season.
Brooks tore his ACL during his final season at Texas, but the Panthers still selected him in the second round in April.
Miles Sanders, Chuba Hubbard, Mike Boone, Raheem Blackshear, and Jaden Shirden are the other backs on the roster in Carolina ahead of their final cuts.
