Tag: DeShawn Williams

Carolina Panthers 2025 free agents

With the 2024 regular season now over, let’s take a look at the Panthers’ upcoming free agents:

The Carolina Panthers wrapped up their 2024 campaign with a 48-38 win, walking off the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Week 18.

But which players might have taken their final snap with the Panthers on Sunday?

As we enter Carolina’s offseason, here are the team’s 2025 free agents:

  • QB Andy Dalton
  • RB Raheem Blackshear (RFA)
  • RB Mike Boone
  • RB Velus Jones Jr. (RFA)
  • WR David Moore
  • WR Deven Thompkins
  • WR Dan Chisena (RFA)
  • TE Tommy Tremble
  • TE Ian Thomas
  • TE Feleipe Franks (RFA)
  • TE Stephen Sullivan
  • OL Brady Christensen
  • OL Cade Mays (RFA)
  • C Austin Corbett
  • DL LaBryan Ray (ERFA)
  • DL DeShawn Williams
  • DL Raequan Williams (ERFA)
  • OLB Cam Gill
  • ILB Shaq Thompson
  • ILB Chandler Wooten (RFA)
  • CB Mike Jackson
  • CB Caleb Farley
  • CB Lonnie Johnson Jr.
  • S Xavier Woods
  • S Jordan Fuller
  • S Sam Franklin Jr.
  • S Nick Scott
  • K Eddy Piñeiro
  • P Johnny Hekker
  • LS JJ Jansen

*RFA = Restricted free agent
*ERFA = Exclusive rights free agent

[lawrence-related id=709931,709643,709969]

Panthers activate RB Miles Sanders, announce 4 other roster moves for Week 18

The Panthers are getting a much-needed boost at the running back position.

The Carolina Panthers are getting a much-needed boost in their backfield for Week 18.

As announced this afternoon, the team has activated running back Miles Sanders from injured reserve ahead of tomorrow’s regular-season finale against the Atlanta Falcons. The sixth-year veteran, who was designated to return to practice earlier in the week, has missed the last six games due to an ankle sprain.

Sanders last played in the Panthers’ Week 10 win over the New York Giants from Munich’s Allianz Arena. Over his 10 appearances in 2024, he’s rushed for 139 yards and a touchdown on 38 carries.

Carolina’s 48-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the first outing after starting running back Chuba Hubbard’s placement on season-ending injured reserve, yielded a season-low 39 rushing yards. Return specialist Raheem Blackshear led the team with 20 rushing yards on eight attempts.

The Panthers also elevated outside linebackers Thomas Incoom and Kenny Dyson for Sunday’s contest. Fellow outside linebacker DJ Johnson, who sustained a concussion in a car accident on Thursday, will not be available.

Johnson will be joined on the shelf by another outside ‘backer in Amaré Barno, who was placed on injured reserve as part of today’s moves. Carolina signed defensive lineman DeShawn Williams from their practice squad to fill Barno’s void.

[lawrence-related id=709813,709768,709757]

Panthers sign QB, RB to active roster on Saturday

The Panthers signed a rookie QB and a veteran RB to the active roster ahead of tomorrow’s clash with the Bucs.

The Carolina Panthers made a pair of additions to their active roster ahead of tomorrow’s NFC South showdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

As announced on Saturday afternoon, the team has signed quarterback Jack Plummer and running back Mike Boone up from their practice squad.

Boone’s signing comes after the Panthers placed starting running back Chuba Hubbard on injured reserve earlier this morning. Hubbard, who rushed for career-highs in yards (1,195) and touchdown (10), will now miss the final two games of the season due to a calf strain.

With Hubbard shelved, Boone is expected to help shoulder the load out of the backfield alongside Raheem Blackshear. The seventh-year veteran has rushed for 22 yards on seven carries over four games in 2024.

Plummer, an undrafted rookie out of the University of Louisville, has spent the entire regular season on the team’s practice squad. The 25-year-old appeared in all three of the Panthers’ preseason contests, passing for 406 yards and two touchdowns.

Carolina also elevated veteran defensive lineman DeShawn Williams from the practice squad.

[lawrence-related id=709431,709414,701363]

Browns sign ex-Broncos wide receiver to practice squad

Ex-Broncos wide receiver Kaden Davis joined the Browns’ practice squad this week.

Kaden Davis has had quite a bumpy season.

The 26-year-old wide receiver signed with the Denver Broncos‘ practice squad on Sept. 11. He was then released on Oct. 1, re-signed on Oct. 8 and released again on Oct. 14.

He has now found a new home with the Cleveland Browns, joining their practice squad earlier this week. Davis (6-1, 190 pounds) entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Northwest Missouri State with the Broncos in 2022. He has since spent time with the Michigan Panthers (USFL), Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions.

After another stint in Denver this fall, Davis will now get a fresh start in Cleveland, his fourth NFL team.

Elsewhere on the ex-Bronco front, defensive lineman DeShawn Williams re-signed with the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad after being cut from the active roster earlier in the week.

Meanwhile, offensive lineman Austin Schlottmann has been designated to return from injured reserve with the New York Giants, quarterback Ben DiNucci joined the New Orleans Saints’ practice squad and running back Royce Freeman landed on the practice squad of the Chicago Bears.

As for the Broncos, their active roster and practice squad are full going into Week 15.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Panthers sign defender back to practice squad on Wednesday

After waiving him from the active roster yesterday, the Panthers brought DL DeShawn Williams back to their practice squad.

The Carolina Panthers have reeled defensive lineman DeShawn Williams back in.

As announced on Wednesday evening, the team has signed Williams to their practice squad. The sixth-year defender was waived from the active roster on Tuesday afternoon, as part of a series of moves, to open up a spot for fellow lineman and now-former practice-squad member Sam Roberts.

Williams, a Central, S.C. native and Clemson University Tiger, first joined the Panthers ahead of the 2023 season. He’d go on to play in 16 games with 10 starts—amassing 33 combined tackles (two for a loss), seven quarterback hits and a sack.

After a brief stop with the Buffalo Bills this past offseason, Williams rejoined the Panthers as a member of their practice squad on Sept. 10. He’s since appeared in 10 outings and has totaled 13 tackles and half a sack.

[lawrence-related id=708377,708393,708383]

Panthers’ updated roster following Tuesday’s flurry of moves

The Panthers added two players to their active roster on Tuesday.

The Carolina Panthers had themselves a pretty busy Tuesday.

Headlined by running back Jonathon Brooks’ placement on the season-ending injured reserve, the team made a total of six moves this afternoon. A pair of those adjustments will welcome in two additions to the active roster—wide receiver/running back Velus Jones Jr. and defensive lineman Sam Roberts, who was promoted from the practice squad.

So, let’s do a bit of housekeeping and give you the updated roster following the signings of Jones and Roberts . . .

Panthers waive former Broncos defensive lineman

The Panthers waived former Broncos defensive lineman DeShawn Williams on Tuesday.

Story update: After clearing waivers, DeShawn Williams re-signed with the Panthers on their practice squad. See our original post below.

The Carolina Panthers waived defensive lineman DeShawn Williams on Tuesday to make room for newly-signed defensive tackle Sam Roberts, the team announced (via Panthers Wire).

Williams (6-1, 295 pounds) had three separate stints with the Denver Broncos, with the most recent tenure from 2020-2022. The 31-year-old defensive lineman totaled 113 tackles, 19 quarterback hits, eight pass breakups, 7.5 sacks and one interception in 46 games (34 starts) with the Broncos.

Williams was a 15-game starter in 2022, but Denver let him walk in free agency the following spring. He then signed with the Panthers, reuniting with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. Williams later tweeted, “They didn’t want me” when asked when he did not return to the Broncos.

After his one-year deal with the Panthers expired, Williams joined the Buffalo Bills this spring. He failed to make Buffalo’s 53-man roster, though, and then returned to Carolina, initially on the practice squad. The Panthers promoted Williams to the active roster in October and he appeared in 10 games this season, recording 13 tackles and a half-sack.

Williams will now hit the NFL’s waiver wire.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Panthers officially announce 2 additions on Tuesday

The Panthers officially announced their signings of WR/RB Velus Jones Jr. and WR Trenton Irwin.

The Carolina Panthers officially added a couple of wide receivers on Tuesday. (Well, maybe one wide receiver and one wide receiver/running back/return specialist.)

As announced this afternoon, the team has signed Velus Jones Jr. to their active roster and Trenton Irwin to their practice squad. Jones’ signing was first reported on by Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports while Irwin’s dropped via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Jones, a former third-round pick of the Chicago Bears in 2022, comes over from the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad. In his three seasons and 27 appearances for the Bears, the 27-year-old speedster amassed 135 receiving yards and 165 rushing yards while averaging 26.7 yards per kick return (39 attempts) and 7.0 yards per punt return (five attempts).

He now fills the roster spot left vacant by rookie running back Jonathon Brooks, who has been placed on injured reserve with his ACL tear.

Irwin, who previously crossed paths with current Panthers offensive coordinator Brad Idzik during their time at Stanford University, has spent each of his six pro campaigns with the Cincinnati Bengals. He has recorded 46 receptions for 601 yards and five touchdowns.

To make room for Irwin on the practice squad, the Panthers released fellow wide receiver Dax Milne.

Carolina also signed defensive tackle Sam Roberts from their practice squad to the active roster. Defensive end DeShawn Williams, who appeared in 26 games for the team over the last two seasons, was waived to clear a spot for Roberts.

[lawrence-related id=708297,708257,708172]

Panthers Week 10 injury report: 2 key offensive starters out vs. Giants

The Panthers, as expected, will be without a few notable names on offense in Week 10.

As expected, the Carolina Panthers will be without a few key offensive pieces in Munich, Germany this weekend.

Left tackle Ikem Ekwonu and wide receiver Adam Thielen, both of whom were listed as non-participants in practice all week, have been ruled out of Sunday’s matchup against the New York Giants. Ekwonu (ankle) will miss his second straight contest while Thielen (hamstring) will miss his seventh.

Fourth-year offensive lineman Brady Christensen, as he did in the Week 9 win over the New Orleans Saints, will get the start on the blindside in place of Ekwonu.

Thielen, meanwhile, has until Wednesday to be activated to the main roster.

Here’s Friday’s injury report in full:

Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Game status
OLB Jadeveon Clowney Rest/knee DNP Full Full Questionable
LT Ikem Ekwonu Ankle DNP DNP DNP Out
WR Adam Thielen Hamstring DNP DNP DNP Out
DL DeShawn Williams Illness DNP Full Full –
DL A’Shawn Robinson Rest DNP Full – –
RB Chuba Hubbard Rest DNP Full – –
ILB Josey Jewell Rest DNP Limited Full –
S Xavier Woods Rest/shoulder DNP Limited Full –
CB Jaycee Horn Rest DNP Full – –
S Jammie Robinson Knee Limited Limited Limited Doubtful
RB Jonathon Brooks Knee Full Full Full Questionable
DL Jaden Crumedy Ankle Full Full Full –
S Jordan Fuller Hamstring Full Full Full Questionable
TE Feleipe Franks Concussion Full Full Full –
TE Tommy Tremble Back Full Limited Full Questionable
OLB D.J. Wonnum Quadriceps Full Full Full Questionable
CB Lonnie Johnson Quadriceps Full Limited Full Questionable
OT Taylor Moton Rest DNP – –
TE Ja’Tavion Sanders Wrist/ankle Limited Full –

[lawrence-related id=706540,706535,706522]

Panthers’ Adam Thielen, Ikem Ekwonu held out from practice again on Thursday

Both WR Adam Thielen and LT Ikem Ekwonu were held out for the second straight practice session.

The Carolina Panthers were still without two notable names on offense this afternoon.

Wide receiver Adam Thielen and left tackle Ikem Ekwonu were both held out of practice for the second straight outing. Thielen hasn’t played since injuring his hamstring in Week 3 while Ekwonu, who missed his first NFL game this past Sunday, is dealing with an ankle issue.

If Ekwonu cannot go, fourth-year offensive lineman Brady Christensen is expected to get the start on the blindside against the New York Giants this weekend.

Here’s the full injury report from Thursday:

Injury Wednesday Thursday Friday Game status
OLB Jadeveon Clowney Rest/knee DNP Full
LT Ikem Ekwonu Ankle DNP DNP
WR Adam Thielen Hamstring DNP DNP
DL DeShawn Williams Illness DNP Full
DL A’Shawn Robinson Rest DNP Full
RB Chuba Hubbard Rest DNP Full
ILB Josey Jewell Rest DNP Limited
S Xavier Woods Rest/shoulder DNP Limited
CB Jaycee Horn Rest DNP Full
S Jammie Robinson Knee Limited Limited
RB Jonathon Brooks Knee Full Full
DL Jaden Crumedy Ankle Full Full
S Jordan Fuller Hamstring Full Full
TE Feleipe Franks Concussion Full Full
TE Tommy Tremble Back Full Limited
OLB D.J. Wonnum Quadriceps Full Full
CB Lonnie Johnson Quadriceps Full Limited
OT Taylor Moton Rest DNP
TE Ja’Tavion Sanders Wrist/ankle Limited

[lawrence-related id=706535,706528,706516]