The Carolina Panthers made a handful of last-minute adjustments before this weekend’s regular-season opener.
As announced on Saturday, the team placed tight end Ian Thomas on injured reserve—helping prompt one of two new additions to the active roster. Taking Thomas’ spot will be fellow tight end Feleipe Franks, who entered September as a member of Carolina’s practice squad.
Franks, a quarterback during his collegiate career at the University of Florida, cracked into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in 2021. He began his transition to the tight end position in the summer of 2022.
The Panthers first inked Franks on July 26, 2024, waived him a month later during their initial roster cutdown and then re-signed him to the practice squad. He’ll help provide some depth at tight end with the absences of Thomas and starter Tommy Tremble, who has been ruled out of Sunday’s matchup against the New Orleans Saints with a hamstring injury.
Joining Franks on the active roster is defensive lineman Jayden Peevy, another member of the team’s practice squad.
Carolina also promoted running back Mike Boone and safety Lonnie Johnson for the contest.
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