Tag: Alex Cook

Panthers waive player from active roster, sign 2 others to practice squad

The Panthers announced they have waived DL Nick Thurman, who played in every game for the team over the last two seasons.

The Carolina Panthers opened up another spot on their active roster ahead of the Week 10 matchup against the New York Giants.

As announced this morning, the team has waived defensive lineman Nick Thurman. The 29-year-old defender played in all 17 of the team’s games in 2023 and all nine of their games this season.

Thurman joined the Panthers in July of 2023. He’d go on to amass 31 total tackles (two for a loss) and a quarterback hit in his first campaign for Carolina.

2024 has seen the 6-foot-4, 305-pounder record four starts over his nine outings.

With Thurman’s departure, the Panthers now have four vacancies on their active roster.

Carolina also made a pair of additions to their practice squad, as they signed wide receiver Cam Johnson and safety Alex Cook.

Johnson, an undrafted rookie out of Northwestern University, spent the offseason with the Dallas Cowboys before being waived in August.

Cook appeared in 10 games for the Panthers in 2023 and was already a member of this year’s practice squad prior to his release on Oct. 8.

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Panthers announce 6 moves on Tuesday

The Panthers made a handful of moves on Tuesday.

The Carolina Panthers are trying to roll with the punches.

With starting center Austin Corbett now done for the rest of the season due to a biceps tear, the team announced that they have signed offensive lineman Cade Mays to their active roster. Mays, a former Panther, was previously a member of the New York Giants’ practice squad.

Carolina selected Mays in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft. The versatile 6-foot-6, 325-pound hog molly, who played every position on the offensive line during his collegiate career at the University of Tennessee, has amassed 362 snaps at left guard and 104 at right guard as a pro.

Mays should provide some depth after the loss of Corbett, who head coach Dave Canales spoke about on Monday.

“Again, just another blow,” Canales told reporters yesterday afternoon. “With a guy that just stands for everything that I believe in—the work ethic, the practice habits, the professionalism, his positive outlook in terms of what can be on the next drive, just continuing to work and control the things that he can control. So my heart is with Austin.”

The Panthers also signed outside linebacker Thomas Incoom to the active roster. Incoom, who was elevated from the practice squad the past two weeks, has tallied 22 total snaps thus far.

In addition, the team has released running back Mike Boone and practice-squad safety Alex Cook and waived defensive tackle Jayden Peevy and safety Russ Yeast.

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Panthers announce flurry of moves as Adam Thielen, Jordan Fuller head to IR

The Panthers made a bunch of moves on Tuesday, including placing both WR Adam Thielen and S Jordan Fuller on injured reserve.

The Carolina Panthers will now have to deal with a few losses following their first win of the 2024 campaign.

On Tuesday, the team placed wide receiver Adam Thielen on injured reserve. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport was first with the news on Thielen, who is dealing with a “fairly significant” hamstring injury he sustained in Sunday’s 36-22 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Carolina also shelved safety Jordan Fuller, who has started all three games this season. The team did not disclose the nature of his injury in their official announcement.

Both Thielen and Fuller will now miss at least the next four weeks while on the injured reserve list.

The Panthers, in addition, parted ways with tight end Messiah Swinson—who was signed to the active roster on Sept. 3.

To patch up the departures, the Panthers promoted three players from their practice squad—wideout Jalen Coker and safeties Demani Richardson and Russ Yeast. Coker, an undrafted rookie out of the College of Holy Cross, led the Panthers in receiving yards (71) this preseason.

As a result of those promotions, Carolina signed cornerback Justin Hardee and safety Alex Cook to the practice squad while releasing second-year outside linebacker Eku Leota.

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Panthers sign 2, release 3 from practice squad on Friday

The Panthers officially announced a handful of moves to their practice squad on Friday.

The Carolina Panthers made a handful of moves to their practice squad.

As announced on Friday, the team has signed wide receiver Deon Cain and offensive tackle Brandon Walton to the group. Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer was first with the news earlier this morning.

Cain, a Clemson Tiger, was selected in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts. He’s also picked up stops with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and, most recently, the Buffalo Bills.

The 6-foot-2, 202-pounder played a few seasons for the USFL/UFL’s Birmingham Stallions as well. He was a league champion in both 2023 and 2024.

Walton comes over from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he crossed paths with Panthers head coach Dave Canales and offensive line coach Joe Gilbert. The 6-foot-3, 300-pounder appeared in 15 games for the Bucs between 2022 and 2023, with most of his snaps coming at the left tackle position.

To make room for the additions, the Panthers released guard Mason Brooks, defensive tackle Walter Palmore and safety Alex Cook—who played in 10 games for Carolina last season.

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Initial 53-man roster projection for the 2024 Panthers

Here is our final projection for the Panthers’ initial 2024 53-man roster:

Now that the preseason is officially in the books, the Carolina Panthers have another task to tackle—the big cutdown.

Between now and 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the Panthers and the rest of the NFL’s 31 teams must get down to their initial 53-player rosters.

Here is our final projection for Carolina’s initial 53:

Quarterbacks (2)

In: Bryce Young, Andy Dalton
Out: Jack Plummer

Plummer impressed in the summer finale, completing 21 of his 29 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns. But that still won’t be enough to devote a third spot on the roster to a quarterback.

Running backs (4)

In: Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, Raheem Blackshear, Mike Boone
Out: Jaden Shirden
Reserve/NFI list: Jonathon Brooks

Boone has benefitted from the inactivity of both Blackshear and Brooks, who isn’t expected back for at least a handful of weeks into the regular season. And luckily for the former, his successful track record as a kick returner keeps him around.

Wide receivers (6)

In: Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette, Jonathan Mingo, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, David Moore
Out: Terrace Marshall Jr., Michael Strachan, Jalen Coker, Sam Pinckney

The sixth and final spot came down to Marshall Jr. and Moore. Moore’s experience on special teams and his previous history with head coach Dave Canales in both Seattle and Tampa Bay give him the edge.

Tight ends (4)

In: Tommy Tremble, Ian Thomas, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Jordan Matthews
Out: Feleipe Franks, Jacob Hollister, Jesper Horsted

Matthews earned his spot with a spectacular summer. The 32-year-old opened the preseason with a team-high 48 receiving yards in New England and ended it with a touchdown to kick off the last outing in Buffalo.

Offensive linemen (9)

In: Ikem Ekwonu, Damien Lewis, Austin Corbett, Robert Hunt, Taylor Moton, Brady Christensen, Yosh Nijman, Cade Mays, Chandler Zavala
Out: Ricky Lee, Jeremiah Crawford, Mason Brooks, Andrew Raym, Jack Anderson, Ike Boettger, Tyler Smith

Given that he’s the only true center on the roster, Raym has a shot to stick on. But the versatility of backups such as Nijman, Christensen and Mays allows the Panthers to keep the number of hog mollies at nine.

Defensive linemen (5)

In: Derrick Brown, A’Shawn Robinson, Shy Tuttle, Nick Thurman, LaBryan Ray
Out: Jaden Crumedy, T.J. Smith, Ulomoo Ale, Jayden Peevy, Walter Palmore, Junior Aho

Crumedy, the team’s sixth-round selection from this spring, could be in trouble while dealing a high-ankle sprain. So could Smith, who’d be a favorite to sneak back on as a practice squad member after recording a pair of sacks this preseason.

Outside linebackers (5)

In: Jadeveon Clowney, K’Lavon Chaisson, DJ Johnson, Eku Leota, Luiji Vilain
Out: Cam Gill, Derrick McLendon, Kenny Dyson
Reserve/Physically unable to perform list: D.J. Wonnum, Amaré Barno

Vilain and Gill could be battling for the fifth locker. But if it actually doesn’t go to either, look for the Panthers to pick up a pass rusher off the street.

Inside linebackers (4)

In: Shaq Thompson, Josey Jewell, Trevin Wallace, Claudin Cherelus
Out: Chandler Wooten, Tae Davis, Aaron Beasley

Canales does not take special teams prowess for granted. Cherelus and Wooten could claim spots with theirs.

Cornerbacks (6)

In: Jaycee Horn, Michael Jackson, Troy Hill, Chau Smith-Wade, Dicaprio Bootle, D’Shawn Jamison
Out: Willie Drew, Chris Wilcox, Quandre Mosely
Injured: Dane Jackson

The “significant” hamstring injury to Jackson (Dane, that is) could force the Panthers to keep a few outside options—including both Bootle and Jamison.

Safeties (5)

In: Xavier Woods, Jordan Fuller, Nick Scott, Jammie Robinson, Alex Cook
Out: Demani Richardson, Rudy Ford
Injured: Sam Franklin Jr.

As Canales has stated, there’s no replacing Franklin Jr.—who will be out for quite a bit while healing up a broken foot. Cook, however, could give the Panthers a little bit back on special teams.

Specialists (3)

In: Eddy Piñeiro, Johnny Hekker, JJ Jansen

Well, nothing to see here.

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News, notes and takes from Thursday’s joint practice between Panthers and Jets

Contributor Jared Feinberg gives his top notes and biggest takeaways after attending Thursday’s joint practice between the Panthers and Jets.

Not only was this morning’s training camp session the final one of the summer for the Carolina Panthers, but it was also their biggest.

For the second time in as many years, the team hosted a joint practice with the New York Jets. And, as expected, the competitive juices weren’t just flowing—they were flooding.

Here, from my visit to Thursday’s outing, are the top notes and takes on the day:

Panthers offense turns in their first great day of camp

The biggest storyline heading into Thursday’s highly-anticipated practice was how the offense would perform against a well-regarded Jets defense. With wide receiver Diontae Johnson out with a mild groin strain, Carolina and their new scheme hoped to snap out of the recent lull.

To my surprise, the offense performed well in multiple competitive drills that included one-on-one, seven-on-seven, 11-on-11 and two-minute drills. It seems that head coach Dave Canales has an attack that allows his receivers to get open and perform on rhythm. It helps when quarterback Bryce Young is on time, accurate, making off-platform throws and putting passes where he wanted them to go.

Young had his best day of camp, in my opinion. It was impressive to watch him navigate through the pocket and work through his progressions. He made great decisions with the ball and never put it in harm’s way against a talented New York defense.

Despite injuries to their overall depth and a couple of key starters, the Panthers offensive line gave their second-year signal caller enough time to get the ball out on time. Austin Corbett, who has been handling his transition from guard to center, had his best practice as well. The bad snaps were non-existent and his execution was steady.

One thing that I’ve come to notice is how little noise there has been on left tackle Ikem Ekwonu. I wanted to see for myself if he had continued to show improvement since Fan Fest and, sure enough, he has been consistent at Young’s blindside.

Defense holds its own against Aaron Rodgers, Jets offense

At age 40, Aaron Rodgers looked like the same player he was before he tore his Achilles last year. Yet, it was the defense that looked impressive in team drills.

Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s group created five takeaways, including four interceptions against all of the Jets quarterbacks. Interior defensive lineman A’Shawn Robinson forced a fumble via the “Peanut Punch” at the goal line during a red zone team drill. Rookie linebacker Trevin Wallace continued to have a solid camp, having been one of the Panthers to snag an interception against Rodgers.

Wallace’s biggest issue right now is he’s thinking more than he is doing, which means he’s too focused on pondering during plays. Once he does more reacting, there will be a clear sign of progression this fall.

Defensive backs Alex Cook and D’Shawn Jamison continued their standout camps. Both had an interception and made plays on the ball.

Despite his smaller frame, Jamison plays with physicality, discipline and aggression—showing he has a case to make the final 53-man roster at the end of the month. He did, however, have some missteps—including some pass interference and holding calls.

Carolina’s safety room is deep with talent and could be the strongest one on the roster. While Xavier Woods is out with a groin injury, Jordan Fuller and Nick Scott have closed off the deep halves of the field. Along with Cook, fellow youngster Demani Richardson has stood out as well.

Pass rusher Eku Leota could be an impact player for the Panthers defense this fall. He won some one-on-one reps in individual and team drills against the Jets’ offensive tackles.

Evero’s defense looks to be a strong unit again in 2024. It’s aggressive, physical and disciplined. You rarely see someone out of position in zone coverage or man assignments.

I don’t expect this unit to be put in impossible situations like it did last season, where there was zero margin for error. With an improved offense, Carolina’s defense could play close to its potential.

Injuries continue to hamper the Panthers

In a sport like football, injuries are bound to happen. Unfortunately for the Panthers, they’ve been hit with quite the bug.

Some notable injuries include Woods (groin), cornerback Dane Jackson (hamstring injury) and guard Chandler Zavala (hamstring).

With Jackson now out for about six weeks, that adds more pressure to the group behind star cornerback Jaycee Horn. Jamison, Lamar Jackson and Dicaprio Bootle are the top remaining players at the spot.

(I feel this could be a prime opportunity for the Panthers to sign veteran Stephon Gilmore to ease those depth concerns should Horn go down himself.)

The offensive line has not had all five projected starters on the field together outside of a few practices due to injuries or other absences. Their depth has been battered with injuries, short- or long-term. The wavier wire will be very popular and crucial at not just the line, but at other positions as well.

Extra notes

  • Wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. had his best day of the summer. In team drills, the fourth-year pass catcher grabbed two impressive touchdowns with his quality ball skills. The talent is there, but has never come together on the field. It’s unclear whether he makes the final roster or not. Yet, practices and preseason games like today help his case.
  • Running back Mike Boone continues to stand out. The Charlotte Observer’s Mike Kaye pointed out his value on special teams coverage, as a receiver and as an overall runner. With rookie Jonathon Brooks likely to remain on the sidelines to start the season, Boone’s chances to make the roster look good.
  • Furthermore, on the Panthers offensive scheme, it seems there will be more motion and usage of crossing routes and creative concepts. The difference between last year’s system under Frank Reich and this year’s under Canales is astounding.
  • It is still unclear whether Canales will have his starters play Saturday night in the second preseason game. It shouldn’t come as a surprise if they don’t—but with the amount of injuries that have piled up amongst their depth, the starters could see some playing time. If not, look for all of them to play in the third and final preseason game next week against the Buffalo Bills.

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Panthers HC Dave Canales names his standouts from preseason opener

Panthers HC Dave Canales listed a few of his standouts from Thursday’s loss to the Patriots.

So, who caught Dave Canales’ eye (at least when it was open) on Thursday night?

The Carolina Panthers head coach chatted with media following Sunday’s practice. He was asked which of his players he believed “took a jump” during the team’s preseason opener against the New England Patriots.

“I thought D’Shawn Jamison did a great job,” Canales replied. “He made some plays defensively. He let one big one get outta there. And on that play—which was really cool—Trevin Wallace, from the backside, ran it down, knocked the guy out at the 3-yard line.”

Jamison, one of the defense’s top backup cornerbacks, played 33 defensive snaps during the outing. Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed four receptions for 54 yards on eight targets—good enough for a solid 74.5 grade in coverage.

The second-year defensive back also showed off some chops on special teams, returning two kickoffs for a combined 52 yards.

Canales went on to name a few more standouts.

“Alex Cook had a fantastic preseason game,” he added. “He tackled well in the open field. I was excited to see that. Eku Leota just played so hard, and gave effort in all phases there.

“Offensively, it was great to see Mike Boone have a couple of nice runs and just kinda see a guy that we can trust as we put our whole thing together.”

Cook recorded a team-high six tackles while Leota registered four pressures. Boone led the Panthers with 34 rushing yards on eight attempts.

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Reviewing film for the Panthers’ top performers from 2024 preseason opener

Let’s take a closer look at the Panthers’ top performers from Thursday night’s preseason opener.

The Carolina Panthers played their first preseason game of the summer against the New England Patriots on Thursday night. 33 players, including most of the team’s projected starters, did not participate—leaving the rest of the roster to get some valuable playing time.

These reps were important, especially for some guys at the bottom of the depth chart—so consider this game more of a rehearsal for those who saw action. It was their time to shine, and there were quite a few who did exactly that.

I took a deep dive into the All-22 film from Carolina’s first live-action game of the campaign and came away impressed with several players. So without further ado, here are four Panthers who shined from Week 1 of the preseason:

OL Brady Christensen

Not often do you have any player who can line up at all five spots on the offensive line. Since being selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft, Christensen has shown just that—and continued to prove himself as a valuable depth piece for the Panthers up front.

Christensen has played in various blocking schemes over the last three seasons under three different offensive coordinators—Joe Brady, Ben McAdoo and Thomas Brown. This year, he’ll be playing in what looks to be a mixture of both gap and zone blocking.

This gives him an advantage, and could even make him an intriguing free agent next offseason.

Christensen played 100 percent of the offensive snaps, seeing time at right tackle and right guard. He displayed sound technique overall, working with accurate punches and strikes to the chest plate of defenders.

When he strikes first, he tends to win more often than not. His anchor was steady and he showed good communication in stunt and twist games.

Thursday night showed why the offensive line may not take a step back if the former BYU standout were forced into the lineup during the season.

OLB Eku Leota

Frankly, the edge has been an area of concern for Carolina since Haason Reddick left to join the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022. The problem this year is that the group doesn’t have an established No. 2 pass rusher to pair with Jadeveon Clowney.

But while he’s a long shot to win that role, Leota has stood out in more ways than one this summer.

The former undrafted free agent from Auburn made a statement in his first piece of preseason action, getting consistent pressure on the quarterback and terrorizing the backfield. His effectiveness shows that he has added more mass to his 6-foot-3, 252-pound frame.

Leota displays more power and explosiveness as a pass rusher than he did a year ago while offering technical prowess when attacking the quarterback and defending the run. He displayed how to squeeze gaps, set the edge and attack the inside shoulder offensive linemen as a counter.

The second-year player’s performance from Thursday night will do for Sunday afternoons this fall. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he not only makes the 53-man roster, but also earned significant playing time as a potential situational pass rusher.

CB Lamar Jackson

You might be thinking about the quarterback and two-time Most Valuable Player here. But this is the relatively unknown corner who’s trying to make the name for himself.

Jackson showed why he’s a top backup on the unit—one that not only lacks solidified depth, but also needs reinforcements given the injury history of starter Jaycee Horn.

What Jackson displayed early in this game is impressive. If you watch the first clip of the post above, you’ll see him use great recovery speed while turning his eyes back to the ball at the last second to make a play on it.

Later, he showed awareness and discipline in zone coverage while attacking downhill to charge at the ball. Jackson also showed capable skills and willingness as a run defender.

The next thing we should want to see from Jackson is how he handles uncomfortable situations. That is going to be key on whether he’ll be a reliable depth piece moving forward for defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s defense.

S Alex Cook

The former Cincinnati Bearcat has been on my radar, going back to Week 9 of last season when he flashed run support ability against the Indianapolis Colts.

With backup safety and special teams ace Sam Franklin Jr. shelved due to a foot injury, Cook is taking advantage of the opportunity presented to him. He’s flying around on special teams and playing fast.

More so, he’s playing with discipline in the run game. Should he make the 53-man roster, Cook has a great chance to make an impact early on with the special teams unit.

Cook has shown to struggle at times in coverage, but it’s not what he needs to be asked to do. He did, however, put forth a few good instances of working into the flats and hook drops in Cover 3—showing he is capable of improving. We’ll see how the remainder of the preseason goes for him.

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Panthers HC Dave Canales names early training camp standouts

Here’s who has been catching the eye of Panthers HC Dave Canales thus far:

So, who are the early winners of training camp for Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales?

When talking with reporters following Monday’s practice, Canales was asked if there are any players (outside of the usual names) who deserve some recognition from the first week of camp. And while he said there are “a lot of guys” who are performing well, Canales boiled his choices down to a handful.

“I look at the safety group,” he replied. “Nick Scott, Alex Cook. Of course, Jordan [Fuller] and Xavier [Woods] are lookin’ fantastic. But that safety group, I’m just really pleased with how they’re communicating, running to the ball. They’re really showing the effort and strain we’re looking for.

“From a linebacker group—beyond Shaq [Thompson] and Josey [Jewell]— Trevin Wallace. Just watching him fly around—this guy is a special talent. Chased the ball down today after a play, which is what we want—we want the whole group rollin’. So showing that kind of strain.”

Wallace, who was selected with the 72nd overall pick of this year’s draft, has obviously been catching the eyes of Canales and his staff. The 21-year-old Kentucky standout is currently projected as the No. 3 inside ‘backer and could star in the succession plan for Thompson.

Canales then went on offense.

“Offensively, just looking at that receiver room, but also just the things . . . Jordan Matthews, like his effort and the things that he brings in. Stephen Sullivan just flashes ability and length, and how he’s been able to attack it. I can keep going. But what I hope for is happening—the groups are very competitive. And I hope they continue to push each other as they’re pursuing their best.”

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Vonn Bell inactive vs. Colts in Week 9

Panthers vs. Colts: Week 9 inactives

The Carolina Panthers have placed a grand total of 11 players on injured reserve this season, with eight coming on the defensive side of the ball. And among those eight are three of the team’s top four outside linebackers—Marquis Haynes Sr., Yetur Gross-Matos and, most recently, Justin Houston.

So, we may be seeing some relatively fresh faces this afternoon against the Indianapolis Colts, including third-round pick DJ Johnson. Johnson, who will get the starting nod for Houston, has seen his playing time increase over the past two weeks—as he recorded 24 defensive snaps in Week 6 and 29 in Week 7.

Plus, as expected, Luiji Vilain will be active for the team’s Week 9 outing. The second-year backer was signed off the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad and onto the Panthers’ active roster back on Oct. 24.

Carolina, additionally, elevated fellow outside linebacker Eku Leota. The undrafted rookie made his NFL debut in last week’s win over the Houston Texans, appearing in six snaps on defense and eight on special teams.

Also as expected, the defense will be without safety Vonn Bell—who was listed as doubtful with a quadriceps injury. Alex Cook, per Darin Gantt of Panthers.com, will likely start in his place.

Here is the complete list of inactives for the Panthers on the day:

  • S Vonn Bell
  • G Nash Jensen
  • OT Ricky Lee
  • CB David Long Jr.
  • WR Laviska Shenault Jr.
  • OL Brett Toth

And here’s who is out for the visiting Colts:

  • C Jack Anderson
  • CB Juju Brents
  • LB Zaire Franklin
  • OT Braden Smith
  • CB Ameer Speed

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