Tag: Adarius Taylor

Panthers injury updates: 3 players doubtful, 4 questionable vs. Washington

Here’s the full Week 16 injury report.

The Carolina Panthers are once again short-handed due to injuries heading into their Week 16 matchup with the Washington Football Team. Four players are listed as questionable for Sunday’s game and three are doubtful.

Here’s the full Week 16 injury report.

Player Injury Wed Thu Fri Status
DE Brian Burns Knee DNP DNP DNP Questionable
RB Christian McCaffrey Thigh DNP DNP DNP Doubtful
OT Russell Okung Calf DNP DNP DNP Doubtful
CB Troy Pride Jr. Hip DNP DNP DNP Doubtful
DE Austin Larkin Shoulder Limited Limited Limited Questionable
DT Bravvion Roy Knee Limited Limited Limited Questionable
DE Yetur Gross-Matos Ankle Full Full Full –
DE Marquis Haynes Shoulder Full Full Full –
DE Efe Obada Knee Full Full Full –
WR Curtis Samuel Hamstring Full Full Full –
LB Adarius Taylor Ankle – Limited Limited Questionable

While he’s technically listed as questionable, defensive coordinator Phil Snow says Burns isn’t playing. It also sounds like McCaffrey is out. Yesterday, coach Matt Rhule said he’s dying to play but is not ready yet.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from everyone here at Panthers Wire.

[lawrence-related id=632188]

[vertical-gallery id=631972]

Panthers Week 16 injury report: LB Adarius Taylor limited Thursday

Here is Carolina’s updated Week 16 injury report.

The Panthers’ injury report today looks almost identical to yesterday’s. The only change is that veteran linebacker Adarius Taylor has been added as a limited participant on Thursday due to an ankle issue.

Here is Carolina’s updated Week 16 injury report.

Player Injury Wed Thu Fri Status
DE Brian Burns Knee DNP DNP
RB Christian McCaffrey Thigh DNP DNP
OT Russell Okung Calf DNP DNP
CB Troy Pride Jr. Hip DNP DNP
DE Austin Larkin Shoulder Limited Limited
DT Bravvion Roy Knee Limited Limited
DE Yetur Gross-Matos Ankle Full Full
DE Marquis Haynes Shoulder Full Full
DE Efe Obada Knee Full Full
WR Curtis Samuel Hamstring Full Full
LB Adarius Taylor Ankle – Limited

It certainly looks like all four of the DNPs are on their way to sitting out this week. Defensive coordinator Phil Snow told reporters today that Brian Burns won’t play. Also, coach Matt Rhule says Christian McCaffrey is dying to, but he’s just not ready yet.

As for their opponents, Washington has some uncertainty going on at quarterback. Alex Smith says he expects to play but Dwayne Haskins took first-team reps at practice today and looks on track to start Sunday.

[lawrence-related id=632088,632082]

[vertical-gallery id=632058]

Panthers announce several moves ahead of Week 14 matchup with Broncos

The Carolina Panthers have announced a series of moves ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Denver Broncos.

The Carolina Panthers have announced a series of moves ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Denver Broncos.

Here’s a recap of the changes they’ve made.

LB Adarius Taylor activated from IR

First, veteran linebacker Adarius Taylor has been activated from the team’s injured reserve list, where he’s been since Week 10. Before the groin injury that put him there, he was a core special teames contributor. In nine games this season, he’s played 146 special teams snaps, 46% of the team’s total.

DT Woodrow Hamilton signed to active roster

Carolina is thin at defensive tackle right now with starter Zach Kerr on their reserve/COVID-19 list. So, the team has signed practice squad DT Woodrow Hamilton to the active roster. Assuming he’s in the lineup against Denver, it will be the fourth game he’s played this season.

WR Marken Michel, DT Mike Panasiuk elevated

Two other practice squad players are also being elevated to the active roster. Wide receiver Marken Michel and defensive tackle Mike Panasiuk have been given COVID-19 designations, so they won’t count against the game-day roster.

LB Chris Orr waived

The Panthers also waived undrafted rookie linebacker Chris Orr. He appeared in the team’s last three games, mostly on special teams.

[lawrence-related id=631676]

[vertical-gallery id=631646]

Panthers activate OT Greg Little from COVID-19 list, designate LB to return from IR

Also, linebacker Adarius Taylor has been designated to return from injured reserve.

The Carolina Panthers have almost a dozen players on their reserve/COVID-19 list right now, including several important starters. That list shrank by one name, today. According to team reporter Bill Voth, offensive tackle Greg Little has been activated from the list. Also, linebacker Adarius Taylor has been designated to return from injured reserve.

Little was a second-round pick by Carolina in the 2019 NFL draft. He has flashed here and there but mostly has not lived up to expectations as of yet. Little’s rookie season was greatly limited due to multiple injuries and he wound up only playing in four games. This season, he’s appeared in 10, but has still only been on the field for 18% of the team’s offensive snaps.

As for Taylor, he’s played nine games – most recently Week 9 against the Chiefs. He has 14 combined tackles so far but the majority of his playing time has come on special teams.

[lawrence-related id=631576]

[vertical-gallery id=631570]

Panthers sign RB Reggie Bonnafon to active roster, place LB on IR

Panthers sign running back Reggie Bonnafon to active roster, place linebacker Adarius Taylor on injured reserve list.

Panthers running back Reggie Bonnafon was activated from the practice squad injured reserve list yesterday. Today, he was signed to the active roster, according to the official team website. Bonnafon has been out since Week 4, when he suffered a high ankle sprain – a common affliction for Carolina’s players in this injury-raved year. In limited action, he’s totaled 69 yards on 12 carries (5.8 YPC) and has scored one touchdown as a receiver.

This move is likely in anticipation of star running back Christian McCaffrey being ruled out for this week’s game against the Buccaneers. He suffered a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs and is reportedly not expected to play.

In a corresponding move, the team placed veteran linebacker Adarius Taylor on the injured reserve list. Taylor has posted nine tackles on defense but he’s done most of his work on special teams, playing 63% of those snaps.

[lawrence-related id=630743]

[vertical-gallery id=630623]

Report: Panthers release LB Andre Smith

According to a report by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Panthers have released linebacker Andre Smith.

According to a report by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Panthers have released linebacker Andre Smith.

Like the recently released running back Jordan Scarlett, Smith was another questionable late round draft pick by general manager Marty Hurney. We thought he had a shot to make the 53-man roster this year, but that was never a sure thing. Experience is at a premium this season given the lack of preseason games and most of the offseason being canceled due to the pandemic. That’s going to put players like Smith at a major disadvantage as cuts begin later this week.

Smith getting cut is good news for veteran linebackers like Adarius Taylor and Julian Stanford, who are competing for a roster spot at the bottom end of the depth chart at this position. Whoever stands out on special teams will have the best chance to survive when rosters are trimmed down.

Update:

The Panthers have announced Smith’s release. No corresponding move has been reported yet as of this time. It’s possible the team is opening up space to make room for a defensive back. Over the weekend, the Athletic reported that Carolina is calling other NFL teams looking for secondary help.

[lawrence-related id=628148]

[vertical-gallery id=628122]

Watch: Christian McCaffrey beats Panthers linebacker at practice with a vicious route

Watch: Running back Christian McCaffrey beats a Panthers veteran linebacker Adarius Taylor at practice with some vicious route-running.

We knew Christian McCaffrey was going to be special when he was putting the moves on Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis in his first training camp. The Panthers linebacker corps has undergone some dramatic changes in the last few years. McCaffrey continues to roast them at practice one-on-one.

Watch No. 22 beat Adarius Taylor with some very clean route running.

Vicious stuff.

Even if he makes the team Taylor probably won’t get much playing time, though. It’s far more important that Carolina’s projected starters get up to speed and improve their coverage.

McCaffrey is trying to help. Apparently, he put in some extra work one-on-one with Tahir Whitehead and Shaq Thompson.

Whitehead will be taking over for Kuechly (now a pro scout for the Panthers) at the middle linebacker spot. He won’t keep it long though if he continues to struggle in coverage the way he has over the last two seasons. Last year alone, Whitehead was targeted 66 times, allowing 688 yards, six touchdowns and a passer rating over 140.

[lawrence-related id=627583]

[vertical-gallery id=626625]

NFL free agency: Panthers re-sign former linebacker, waive undrafted defensive tackle

Panthers re-sign former linebacker Adarius Taylor, waive undrafted defensive tackle Austrian Robinson.

The Carolina Panthers will be making some cuts in the coming days to trim down the roster ahead of 2020 training camp. Today, we have our first victim. Carolina has waived undrafted defensive tackle Austrian Robinson, who played his college football at Ole Miss, per the team website.

A familiar face will be taking Robinson’s place. In a corresponding move, the Panthers re-signed former linebacker Adarius Taylor.

Like Robinson, Taylor was an undrafted free agent at one point himself. Carolina first signed him in May of 2014 out of Florida Atlantic. He appeared in 10 games that season, but was only on the field for 148 snaps – all on special teams. Taylor was relegated to the practice squad in 2015 until the Buccaneers signed him. Tampa Bay had Taylor for 50 games. Most of them he spent coming off the bench, as he only earned 14 starts.

Last season, Taylor was on the Browns. He only recorded nine tackles in limited defensive duty. However, he was a core special teams contributor, on the field for 312 snaps (72%).

If he makes the team, that will likely be the role Taylor gets with the Panthers.

[lawrence-related id=626649]

[vertical-gallery id=626625]

Browns saved over $13 million in cutting 4 players

Browns saved over $13 million in cutting 4 players, including T.J. Carrie and 3 other players signed by ex-GM John Dorsey

Monday’s moves to rid the roster of four players created some significant salary cap room for the Cleveland Browns.

In dumping T.J. Carrie, Demetrius Harris, Eric Kush and Adarius Taylor, the new Browns under GM Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski shed some overpriced veteran legacies from the team. Carrie, Harris and Kush all started at least seven games for the Browns in 2019, but they were John Dorsey signings that didn’t fit with the forward vision of the new team, and certainly didn’t fit for their financial obligations.

Here’s what the Browns saved in 2020 cap room with each player:

T.J. Carrie: $6.35 million

Demetrius Harris: $2.5 million

Eric Kush: $2.1 million

Adarius Taylor: $2.4 million

That adds up to over $13.3 million in cap savings that Berry and Stefanski can use to replace them. Other than Carrie, who projected as the starting slot corner, it shouldn’t be difficult to find less expensive players to fill those roles with even better results.

[lawrence-related id=40106]

Browns cut 4 players including starters T.J. Carrie and Demetrius Harris

3 of the 4 were John Dorsey signees last summer

The Cleveland Browns have severed ties with four players from the 2019 team, including three of the most prominent free-agent acquisitions from last offseason under then-GM John Dorsey.

New GM Andrew Berry and the Browns announced the release of CB T.J. Carrie, TE Demetrius Harris, OL Eric Kush and LB Adarius Taylor. All but Carrie were brought to the team by Dorsey and his staff in 2019. Harris and Kush were former Kansas City Chiefs who Dorsey had experience with in his own time with that franchise.

Carrie has been a starter for the Browns for his two seasons in Cleveland, playing both outside and in the slot. He had two years left on his contract.

Harris emerged as a primary short-yardage target but struggled overall in his one year in Cleveland. Kush started seven games at right guard and played in all 16 games. Taylor played almost exclusively on special teams after signing as a free agent.