Tag: Carolina Panthers

Seahawks have no hesitation giving Travis Homer the ball

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says rookie Travis Homer is ready for a role on the offense following the injury to Rashaad Penny.

Seattle Seahawks rookie running back Travis Homer has seen his role increase steadily this season, first contributing on the coverage special teams, and then transitioning into the team’s primary kick returner before taking a fake punt for a 29-yard gain on Sunday – his first career carry.

Now, Homer’s role is likely to increase even more following the injury to Rashaad Penny – and the rookie is expected to make his season debut as a member of the offense in Week 15 against the Panthers.

“We’re ready to go,” coach Pete Carroll said on Wednesday. “He has been a fantastic contributor on special teams and he’s worked throughout the year with us. We don’t have any hesitation. He will get a chance to get the ball this weekend. C.J. [Prosise] is going to step right into the two role and alternate with Chris [Carson], and Homer is alive and ready to go too.”

Prosise is still the top beneficiary of Penny’s absence, but after a strong performance in the return game it is clear Carroll is starting to view Homer as more than just a core special teamer.

Prosie is in the final year of his rookie contract, and how he performs in place of Penny will help determine if the team bring him back next year or opts to let Homer take over as the team’s third-string running back in 2020.

[lawrence-related id=52659]

Discipline is key for Seahawks in moving forward after tough loss

Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll believes discipline is the key to the team moving forward after suffering a tough loss to the Rams.

The Seattle Seahawks suffered their most devastating loss of the season Sunday night, falling to a division rival for their first road defeat of the year.

The road to the postseason is hardly over, however, as the Seahawks can still clinch a playoff berth Week 15 with a win in Carolina. The NFC West is still up for grabs as well, as Seattle continues to chase San Francisco for first place.

At 10-3 on the year, winning had become the norm and it’s how the team recovers from the loss that will tell the tale of the Seahawks this season.

“I think it’s the discipline of the approach,” coach Pete Carroll said Monday. “We like to stay with it. This has been enormously valuable to us over the years that we’re able to do this. These guys are prepared to put something behind us one way or the other, win or lose. We have to be disciplined about that and not get dragged through it and taken back to whatever just happened.”

Seattle has been a successful road team throughout 2019, losing just one away matchup all year. Slated to face the Panthers on Sunday morning, the Seahawks have the chance to win their final road game of the schedule and continue their hunt for a postseason appearance.

“We need to take the lessons that we learn, move forward and be better off,” Carroll said. “We have to get turned into what’s going on down the road here this next week. It’s my discipline. It’s the player’s and the coaches’ discipline to just do it. We know it’s important and it’s crucial. It’s the ability to command your own focus and put it in the right spot. Hopefully, we’ll do a good job of that.”

The Seahawks and Panthers are set to kick off Sunday at 10:00 a.m. PT – Seattle’s last early start this season.

[lawrence-related id=52425]

Panthers Week 15 injury report: 6 players miss Wednesday practice

The Panthers had six players sit out the first practice of the week as they prepare to face the Seahawks on Sunday.

The Panthers had six players sit out the first practice of the week as they prepare to face the Seahawks on Sunday.

Here’s your first look at this week’s injury report.

Player Injury Wed Thu Fri Status
TE Greg Olsen Concussion Limited
OT Greg Little Ankle DNP
DT Gerald McCoy Knee DNP
RB Christian McCaffrey Rest DNP
S Eric Reid Shoulder Full
OLB Marquis Haynes Knee DNP
G Trai Turner Rest DNP
OLB Mario Addison Chest DNP
LB Shaq Thompson Ankle Full

Ian Thomas did a fine job in Olsen’s place last week against the Falcons. If Olsen has to sit out again, Carolina should be alright at tight end. There’s certainly no reason to rush him back at this stage of the season and his career.

It’s not clear exactly what happened with Haynes’ knee. He left Atlanta on crutches, though. If he can’t play, hopefully the rookie Christian Miller will be able to get some valuable experience.

[lawrence-related id=615490]

[vertical-gallery id=615133]

Carolina Panthers sign former Georgia football LB

The Carolina Panthers have signed a former Georgia football linebacker.

The Carolina Panthers have added a former Georgia Bulldog linebacker to their active roster.

Ramik Wilson signed with Panthers on Wednesday, taking the roster spot opened up when the team released former Wake Forest wide receiver Greg Dortch.

The former Bulldog was drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, where he played three seasons.

After being released by the Chiefs, Wilson signed with the Rams, starting four games and playing in all sixteen during last season’s Super Bowl run.

This season, he has mostly been with the Arizona Cardinals.

Panthers waive Greg Dortch again, promote linebacker from practice squad

It’s been a revolving door for the Panthers at the kick returner spots this season.

It’s been a revolving door for the Panthers at the kick returner spots this season. The carousel continued to turn on Tuesday when the team waived Greg Dortch for the second time this year. Dortch fumbled another return in Sunday’s loss to the Falcons.

This morning, the team announced that move as well as a corresponding one to fill out the 53-man roster. Linebacker Ramik Wilson has been promoted from the practice squad, according to the official team website.

Wilson (6-foot-2, 238 pounds) was a fourth-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2015 NFL draft. After three years in Kansas City, he played for the Rams last season and one game for the Cardinals in 2019. Wilson has 21 career starts but he’s mostly been a backup. He’s totaled 146 combined tackles (15 for a loss), 10 QB hits and two defensive touchdowns.

The Panthers also signed wide receiver/kick returner Bobo Wilson to take his place on the practice squad.

[lawrence-related id=615490]

[vertical-gallery id=615334]

2020 NFL mock draft: Panthers pick Washington QB in second round

In the second round of Luke Easterling’s latest 2020 mock draft, he has the Panthers picking Washington quarterback Jacob Eason with the No. 43 overall pick.

With the Carolina Panthers officially eliminated from playoff contention this last week, it’s time to start focusing on the offseason and what comes next. Once again, one of the major decisions will be what to do at quarterback. Cam Newton remains the best option on the roster and he still has one year left on his contract. However, he’s coming off a foot surgery and there’s no guarantee he’ll be around next season.

Also, whoever the next head coach is might want to start over with a younger QB who fits their vision better than Newton might. If that’s the case, the draft will probably be the best place to find him.

In the second round of Draft Wire managing editor Luke Easterling’s latest 2020 mock draft, he has the Panthers picking Washington quarterback Jacob Eason with the No. 43 overall pick.

Eason (6-foot-6, 227 pounds) started his college career at Georgia, but he lost the starting QB job to Jake Fromm in 2017. Eason transferred to Washington. He’s completed 63.8% of his passes for the Huskies this year, averaging 7.8 yards per pass attempt and posting a 144.8 passer rating. He has thrown 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Numbers can only tell us so much, though. Let’s take a look at the tape.

Eason vs. Oregon

Eason vs. California

Eason vs. Utah

Eason vs. Arizona

Eason vs. BYU

Like Newton, Eason could stand to put more touch on his passes and use his lower body more in his throwing motion. He has the arm talent to drive the ball to any part of the field, though. Critics will point to his lack of consistency and experience (28 games).

We still hope to see Newton in a Carolina uniform next year. If that doesn’t happen, taking Eason or another QB prospect on Day 2 is a good idea.

Kyle Allen is a strong backup option. He’s not a starting level quarterback at this point, though. This year’s third-round pick Will Grier could be the next Joe Montana or the next Geno Smith for all we know. It’s impossible to tell what his potential is since he hasn’t seen any live game action yet. However, Grier looked like he wasn’t pro ready during the preseason, so that’s another point in favor of drafting a quarterback in 2020.

[lawrence-related id=615460]

[vertical-gallery id=615334]

Is Ron Rivera interested in returning to the Bears?

Former Bears player and defensive coordinator Ron Rivera is reportedly interested in returning to his former team, but that spot isn’t open.

When the Carolina Panthers fired Ron Rivera, everyone was in shock. While the Panthers have had their struggles this season, Rivera was a coach that turned around that team. But Rivera is a coach that’s likely to land on his feet fairly quickly this offseason as he seeks a new team.

The former Chicago Bears player and defensive coordinator, Rivera is reportedly interested in two landing spots that aren’t projected to have openings, according to CBS Sports’ Jason LaCanfora. One of those landing spots would be the Bears.

The two positions that would most closely appeal to Rivera on a personal level, according to several sources who know him well, would be the Chargers, with a chance to return to his Southern California roots, or the Bears, where he played and coached.

The only problem is that both of those jobs aren’t open and don’t appear to be open heading into the offseason. Some coaching positions that could open in the offseason include with the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons or, depending on things go the rest of the year, the Dallas Cowboys.

While the Bears haven’t lived up to expectations this season, Matt Nagy remains in firm control of that team since taking over as head coach in 2018.

Even if Rivera decided to return to his defensive coordinator roots, the Bears are one year into Chuck Pagano’s tenure as defensive coordinator, and it’s not likely they’d move on from him so quickly. Not that they should, considering he’s coaching the defense allowing the fourth-fewest points in the league.

But it’s nearly a certainty that Rivera will return in 2020 as a head coach in the NFL. Just not in Chicago.

[lawrence-related id=432899,432816,432827,432873,432818,432789]

Listen: Ron Rivera talks about what he wants in his next coaching job

Rivera elaborated more on what he’s looking for in his next gig on Adam Schefter’s podcast Tuesday.

If you thought Ron Rivera would take a year off from the NFL like Mike McCarthy, you don’t know Rivera. The former Panthers head coach told reporters last week he plans to continue coaching and he should have no shortage of job offers once this season is over.

Rivera elaborated more on what he’s looking for in his next gig on Adam Schefter’s podcast Tuesday. Here’s a snippet of Rivera talking about what he wants.

You can listen to the full podcast here.

[lawrence-related id=615185]

[vertical-gallery id=615133]

Panthers vs. Seahawks: Time, channel, stream for Week 15 matchup

Next up, Seattle will try to hand this team its sixth loss in a row.

The Panthers haven’t exactly done well against the NFC contenders this year. The Rams, 49ers, Packers and Saints have all recorded wins against Carolina in 2019. Next up, Seattle will try to hand this team its sixth loss in a row.

Here’s all the info you need to follow this week’s matchup.

Game information

Seattle Seahawks (10-3) at Carolina Panthers (5-8)

Sun. Dec. 15, 1:00 p.m. ET

Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

Television: FOX

The game will be broadcast live on Fox. Check back later for TV maps.

Broadcasters

Kenny Albert, Ronde Barber

Referee assignment

Carl Cheffers

Weather at kickoff

50 degrees (sunny)

Precipitation: 1%

Humidity: 56%

Wind: 7mph

Stream

You can stream the game live on Fubo TV. (Start your free trial).

Listen

The team’s flagship radio station is WBT 1110 AM.

[lawrence-related id=615456]

[vertical-gallery id=615334]