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Carolina Panthers News & Rumors

Panthers Designate G Austin Corbett For Return

October 4th, 2023 at 10:35am CST by Sam Robinson

This week doubles as the earliest window teams can designate players on injured lists for return. The Panthers will do so with one of their starting guards.

Austin Corbett returned to Panthers practice Wednesday, the team announced. Corbett suffered a torn ACL in Week 18 last season, leading him to the reserve/PUP list, and was never a candidate to start the season on time. But the Panthers are close to having the 2022 free agency pickup back in their lineup.

The 0-4 Panthers are attempting to develop Bryce Young, but they have been without both their starting guards for most of the season. Left guard Brady Christensen suffered a season-ending biceps injury in Week 1. The Panthers have started Cade Mays and rookie Chandler Zavala in place of their ailing starters.

Carolina intends to proceed cautiously with Corbett, Frank Reich said Wednesday. It would not surprise to see Carolina use multiple weeks to get its right guard starter ready, and Corbett suggested (via ESPN’s David Newton) a return might not take place until after the team’s Week 7 bye. The Panthers have 21 days from Wednesday to activate Corbett. Not doing so would result in a trip to season-ending IR. With Corbett on the PUP list, he does not count against the Panthers’ eight allotted IR activations.

Both Corbett and Christensen went down in the Panthers’ 2022 season finale, with the former suffering the worse injury. Christensen made it back from his broken ankle to start in Week 1 but went down after a handful of snaps. Christensen’s rookie contract runs through next season; Corbett’s three-year, $26.25MM deal goes through 2024 as well.

The Panthers rank 24th in scoring offense and 25th in yardage, being one of two teams to sit 0-4. The team had made a big commitment up front, returning all five of its O-line starters from last season. The Panthers were largely healthy up front last year, until the very end, but have been dealt some bad breaks to start the Reich-Young partnership. Corbett joins Taylor Moton and the recently re-signed Bradley Bozeman as veteran contracts on Carolina’s front. The former Super Bowl LVI starter, who showcased good form in 2022 before his injury, will have a chance to bounce back in the near future.

Latest On Panthers’ WR Pursuit

October 3rd, 2023 at 9:26pm CST by Ben Levine

We heard this weekend that the Panthers were in the market for some wide receiver help, but it sounds like they’re looking for more than a back-of-the-depth-chart option. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Panthers are actually seeking a “No. 1 caliber guy.”

[RELATED: Panthers Looking To Acquire Wide Receiver]

The Panthers signed Adam Thielen and DJ Chark and selected Mississippi’s Jonathan Mingo in the second round of this past year’s draft. So, considering the recent moves the Panthers made at the position, it was easy to assume the front office wouldn’t be looking to steal headlines with their next WR acquisition.

However, Schultz says that isn’t the case, as the Panthers are committed to adding a “top-tier” wide receiver. This is partly due to the team’s own evaluation through the first four weeks; per Schultz, the Panthers front office has determined that they haven’t surrounded Bryce Young with enough weapons. However, the organization is also “all in” on their rookie quarterback, and they’re eage to surround him with elite talent as soon as possible.

Many of the recent big-name receiver trades (Stefon Diggs, Davante Adams, A.J. Brown, Tyreek Hill) have been made during the offseason. It’s uncertain who the Panthers will be able to pry loose during the 2023 campaign, and they may be hard pressed to find a clear-cut WR1 on the trade market.

Troy Renck of Denver7 notes that the Broncos could be a match for a trade. The reporter tweets that both Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton were involved in trade talks this past offseason, and the duo stuck in Denver after the Broncos remained “firm on their demands.” Perhaps the Panthers would be more willing to meet Denver’s asking price, or perhaps the Broncos are willing to lower their demands.

Panthers Looking To Acquire Wide Receiver

October 1st, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Rory Parks

The Panthers have started the Bryce Young era 0-4, though Young was unable to play in last week’s loss to the Seahawks due to an ankle injury. In spite of the disappointing start, Carolina is not necessarily going to be a seller at the October 31 trade deadline and is actually looking to acquire another wide receiver, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports.

Of course, the Panthers traded former WR1 D.J. Moore to the Bears in order to acquire the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft and select Young, and the team added veteran wideouts Adam Thielen and DJ Chark, along with tight end Hayden Hurst, to aid in the development of its rookie passer. Carolina also selected Jonathan Mingo in the second round of the 2023 draft.

Thielen, Chark, Mingo, and 2021 second-rounder Terrace Marshall have seen plenty of playing time, but only Thielen and Chark have topped 100 receiving yards through the first three games of the season. Per Rapoport, the Panthers believe that another wideout will help to unlock Young’s potential, and GM Scott Fitterer has called several teams that may be looking to move a receiver.

Rapoport does not identify the teams that Fitterer has called or the players that he might be targeting. A report from this morning indicated that the Bears are looking to trade WR Chase Claypool, but Claypool is in a contract year, and Rapoport suggested that the Panthers could be looking for a player with more club control (he did not explicitly say so, but he did write that Carolina is seeking to solidify its roster for 2023 “and beyond.”) Given Claypool’s difficulties in Chicago and the fact that his effort has been questioned by his coaching staff and his teammates, he may not be the most logical target.

In addition to another receiver, the Panthers could also be in the market for a safety, according to Rapoport. Starting safety Xavier Woods is dealing with a hamstring injury, and Carolina may want additional depth in the defensive backfield.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/30/23

September 30th, 2023 at 8:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Saturday’s gameday elevations and other minor moves ahead of tomorrow’s slate of Week 4 games:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Walker’s elevation comes amidst a degree of uncertainty regarding Deshaun Watson‘s Sunday availability. The latter is dealing with a shoulder injury, but he has expressed confidence he will be able to suit up. In the event he is unable to play, though, Walker will provide insurance under center. NFL Network’s James Palmer reports Watson will be a game-time decision.

Chosen, formerly Robbie Anderson, made his Dolphins debut in Week 3, scoring a 68-yard touchdown on his only catch. His performance – along with other depth wideouts currently being sidelined for Miami – will give the 30-year-old a longer look with his new team.

Gore’s elevation will give him the chance to see regular season game action for the first time since 2021. The former UDFA recorded 361 scrimmage yards with the Chiefs that season, but a subsequent IR stint marked the end of his time in Kansas City. Gore has since spent time on the Saints’, and now Commanders’, taxi squads. Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes that fellow depth back Chris Rodriguez has bee ruled out with an illness, opening the door to Gore seeing limited snaps.

Panthers QB Bryce Young To Return In Week 4

September 29th, 2023 at 2:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

SEPTEMBER 29: Reich confirmed on Friday, via Newton, that Young will indeed be back in action this Sunday. His return will give him the chance to rebound from a pair of underwhelming performances to begin his career, and get the Panthers into the win column for the first time in 2023.

SEPTEMBER 27: Two of the three rookies given starting roles right away in 2023 – Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson – missed Week 3 due to injuries. Both appear to be on track to limit their absences to a single game.

Young was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, signaling he should be available for Sunday’s contest against the Vikings. His ankle injury required Andy Dalton to start last week, but such a move will not be necessary as long as the No. 1 pick’s recovery proceeds as scheduled. More work is still to be done on that front, of course, but today’s news is an encouraging sign.

“The big thing right now is to see how he responds [Thursday],” head coach Frank Reich said, via ESPN’s David Newton. “Just have to make sure there’s no major setbacks, no flare-ups. But if he stays on track, then I think things are headed in the right direction.”

Originally given a one-to-two week recovery timeline, it comes as little surprise that Young has a strong chance to suit up after only missing one contest. Dalton threw for 361 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the Panthers’ loss to the Seahawks, a game which dropped them to 0-3. In doing so, the veteran showcased a continued ability to produce as a spot-starter, something he has done with four teams in as many years since his Bengals tenure ended. Dalton guided Carolina to a more notable performance in the passing game than the team’s two contests with Young under center.

The latter has repeatedly been tapped as the starter when available, though, so he will be in the lineup as soon as possible. To that point, Reich added that the Panthers are prepared to play Young at less than 100% – a noteworthy stance given the Alabama product’s long-term importance to the franchise. Young was the target of the team’s trade-up to the first overall selection, and as such he has been entrusted with providing much-needed stability at the QB spot. Risking further injury so early in his career would need to be weighed against the possibility of dropping to 0-4 on the season.

The same holds true of the Vikings, making Sunday’s matchup one of importance for both teams involved. Presuming all goes well in the coming days, each squad will have their No. 1 quarterback available on Sunday.

Panthers LB Shaq Thompson Eyeing 2023 Return?

September 28th, 2023 at 9:20pm CST by Ben Levine

When Shaq Thompson underwent surgery to repair his fractured fibula, it was assumed the Panthers linebacker would miss the rest of the season. While that’s still the most likely scenario, the veteran is apparently holding out hope for a return in 2023.

Thompson told reporters that there’s a chance he could return to the field this season (via Joe Person of The Athletic). The linebacker revealed that his recovery timeline is three months, which would put a potential return around mid-December.

If Thompson doesn’t have any setbacks, he could have the opportunity to play in the Panthers’ final three or four games. Of course, if the organization is out of the playoff picture at that point, they may just choose to keep the 29-year-old healthy for the 2024 campaign. Thompson is still under contract through next season, although the Panthers do have an easy out if they want to move on from the former first-round pick.

Thompson suffered the injury during the Panthers’ Week 2 loss to the Saints. The linebacker is the team’s longest-tenure player and only remaining holdover from the Super Bowl 50 squad. He had one of the most productive seasons of his career in 2022, finishing with a career-high 135 tackles.

Offseason addition Kamu Grugier-Hill has been the biggest benefactor of Thompson’s injury. After exclusively playing on special teams in Week 1, the veteran has seen the field for 110 defensive snaps over the past two weeks. Former Pro Bowler Deion Jones made his season debut in Week 3, playing 52 defensive snaps alongside Grugier-Hill and Frankie Luvu.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/26/23

September 26th, 2023 at 8:28pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Signed: S A.J. Finley

New England Patriots

  • Released: CB William Hooper

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Geron Christian is back in Houston for his second stint with the team, as the lineman started eight of his 14 appearances for the Texans in 2021. The former Washington third-round pick spent the 2022 campaign with the Chiefs, where he mostly played on special teams in his 10 games.

A pair of notable running backs found jobs today. Deon Jackson joined the Browns practice squad after getting cut by the Colts last week. The RB started Week 1 for Indy, and he ultimately finished his stint with the team having collected 504 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns in 27 games. Meanwhile, Jeremy McNichols is heading to San Francisco after having spent the past two seasons as one of Derrick Henry‘s backups. The former fifth-round pick got into 30 games between 2021 and 2022, collecting 655 yards from scrimmage.

Panthers S Xavier Woods To Miss “Extended Time”

September 26th, 2023 at 6:13pm CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers are down another key defensive back. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, safety Xavier Woods is set to miss “extended time” while recovering from a hamstring injury.

[RELATED: Panthers To Place CB Jaycee Horn On IR]

It’s uncertain exactly how much time Woods will miss, but a source told Fowler that the safety could be sidelined for four-to-six weeks. Woods has generally stayed healthy during his career, missing a total of six regular season games through his first six seasons in the league.

The former Cowboys sixth-round pick turned into a reliable starting safety during his time in Dallas, starting all 44 of his appearances between 2018 and 2020. Woods joined the Vikings for the 2021 campaign and proceeded to have a career year, finishing with a career-high 108 tackles, 10 passes defended, and three interceptions.

That performance earned the safety a three-year, $15.75MM deal from the Panthers during the 2022 offseason. Woods started all 15 of his appearances during his first season in Carolina, finishing with 86 tackles. He also started the Panthers’ first three games of the 2023 campaign, with Pro Football Focus grading him as the eighth-best safety among 85 qualifying players.

This is a tough break for a Panthers secondary that recently lost cornerback Jaycee Horn to a hamstring injury. That issue ultimately landed the starter on injured reserve. The team will have to dig deeper into their secondary depth with Woods set to miss time. Rookie fifth-round pick Jammie Robinson and UDFA D’Shawn Jamison round out the safeties depth chart behind Woods and Donte Jackson.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/23/23

September 23rd, 2023 at 7:55pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are the various practice squad elevations and other minor moves from around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

  • Signed to active roster: LB Sam Eguaveon
  • Elevated: OL Chris Glaser

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/22/23

September 22nd, 2023 at 7:02pm CST by Ely Allen

The league’s practice squad transactions heading into the weekend:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Released from practice squad IR with injury settlement: S Jovante Moffatt

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Signed: QB Reid Sinnett

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

With starting quarterback Joe Burrow still nursing a calf injury that has hampered him throughout the first two weeks of the season, the signing of Sinnett becomes significant. Burrow’s status is reportedly still up in the air for this Sunday, and with practice squad quarterback Will Grier getting signed away to the Patriots’ active roster yesterday, Sinnett would now serve as QB2 to Jake Browning if Burrow can’t go.

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