Add the Panthers to the list of teams who have officially trimmed their roster down to the required 53 players. Remember this is only the initial roster, so not everybody who was spared Tuesday will make it through to the regular season after the waiver wire frenzy the next few days.
Here’s the list of players Carolina cut on Tuesday:
Released:
- LB Josh Bynes
Waived:
- QB Will Grier
- RB Rodney Smith
- S Kenny Robinson
- RB Reggie Bonnafon (waived/injured)
- WR Omar Bayless
- RB Spencer Brown
- DL Frank Herron
- OL Mike Horton
- CB Jalen Julius
- WR Keith Kirkwood
- OLB Christian Miller
- OL Aaron Monteiro
- WR C.J. Saunders
- TE Stephen Sullivan
- OL Sam Tecklenburg
Placed on season-ending IR
You’ll probably recognize at least a few names on this list, including Bynes, Grier, Kirkwood, and Bonnafon. Bynes is a veteran linebacker with 117 appearances and 63 starts under his belt since entering the league all the way back in 2011. He started all 16 games for the Bengals last year, but it took him until just a few weeks ago to get signed by Carolina.
Grier is the West Virginia product who had a fair amount of buzz coming out of college. Despite some initial talk that he could get drafted in the first or second-round, he ended up as a third-round pick in 2019. He ended up starting two games for the Panthers as a rookie, struggling mightily while tossing four interceptions and no touchdowns. Carolina is throwing in the towel after just two seasons, electing to roll with only P.J. Walker behind Sam Darnold. Grier should be able to at least end up on somebody’s practice squad.