Panthers’ practice squad roster is coming together. Here’s the latest.
A day after settling on an initial 53-man roster, the Carolina Panthers have begun filling out the practice squad.
Teams around the league were allowed to begin doing so at 4 p.m. Wednesday, 24 hours after the deadline to get active rosters from a maximum of 80 to the required 53 players. The practice squad may be composed of 16 players and there can be a maximum of six veterans (players with more than two seasons) on the practice squad.
Of the 69 players that will combine to make up the active roster and the practice squad, two are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, per coach Matt Rhule.
There are still three more signings to be announced for the Panthers, in addition to former James Madison quarterback James Morgan, who will be joining the team as the third quarterback after Will Grier was claimed off waivers by the Dallas Cowboys. The team expressed some interest in having Grier on the team’s practice squad after his release Tuesday.
Morgan, a 6-foot-4, 229 pounds, was drafted by the New York jets in the fourth round of the 2020 draft. He was part of an exciting Hail Mary play to end the team’s final preseason game.
“With Will having a chance now to go to Dallas,” Rhule said, ”which we’re very happy for him, we’re now looking for either someone who knows this system previously or someone that in the draft process, being around them, we think are really smart that can learn pretty quickly. We’ll bring someone in, and train them as fast as possible and hope that our two guys stay healthy.”
The majority of the team’s practice squad is composed of players who spent training camp and the preseason games with the Panthers. Only Morgan and the three other players, who are soon to be announced, will likely come from elsewhere.
Among the notable returns are running backs Rodney Smith and Spencer Brown. The only true running backs on the Panthers roster are Christian McCaffrey and Chuba Hubbard. Smith missed multiple weeks due to injury but participated in practice Tuesday and Wednesday.
“With Rodney on the practice squad, and we’re really high on Spencer Brown; it’s been a position we’ve been looking to see, ‘Hey, is there a vet that we love that helps us?’ ” Rhule said. “I think those guys have a future, and Rodney knows the system he’s just been out.”
With safety Kenny Robinson joining the practice squad, all 18 draft picks from the last two years are on the Panthers roster in some capacity. Long snapper Thomas Fletcher (hip) is on injured reserve.
The Panthers also released wide receiver David Moore on Wednesday, but the team is confident in the remaining five receivers on the active roster, plus the practice squad additions of C.J. Saunders, Keith Kirkwood and Omar Bayless. Rhule did say that one of the remaining spots may go to a “young” receiver that the team thinks they can develop.
Panthers practice squad roster
▪ Returner/wide receiver C.J. Saunders
▪ Wide receiver Keith Kirkwood
▪ Wide receiver Omar Bayless
▪ Tight end Stephen Sullivan
▪ Center Sam Tecklenburg
▪ Offensive lineman Aaron Monteiro
▪ Running back Rodney Smith
▪ Running back Spencer Brown
▪ Defensive end Frank Herron
▪ Defensive back Jalen Julius
▪ Cornerback Rashaan Melvin
▪ Safety Kenny Robinson
This story was originally published September 1, 2021 at 2:14 PM with the headline "Panthers’ practice squad roster is coming together. Here’s the latest.."
