d’shawn jamison – Syndication Server

Panthers HC Dave Canales speaks on team’s roster cuts

Panthers HC Dave Canales spoke a bit on the waves of roster moves between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Last week, Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales stated that he was looking forward to the challenge of constructing his first initial 53-man roster. So, how is he feeling now that it’s over with?

He was asked that on Wednesday, following his team’s second practice of the week.

“I just really feel like we owe it to this team to look,” Canales said of the roster changes. “We looked across all the league and kinda compared it to the roster we had. And we’ve been talking about challenging our roster from the beginning. Really started off with the secondary room. And so, that was a place we really wanted to see if we can start trying to get a look at a lot of guys.”

After getting down to their first 53 on Tuesday, the Panthers turned around and claimed six new players off waivers earlier this afternoon. That secondary room is set to welcome in three of those hopeful additions—cornerbacks Keenan Isaac, Shemar Bartholomew and Tariq Castro-Fields.

But those additions resulted in some subtractions. Over the past few days, the Panthers have been forced to part ways with many of their guys—including a few summer standouts at the corner spot.

“The guys that were here—D’Shawn [Jamison], Dicaprio [Bootle], Lamar Jackson—all those guys. They did a fantastic job showing who they are,” Canales added. “We know who they are, we know what they look like. It’s gonna be a long season, but we wanted to make sure we got eyes on a lot of people to see who can help us this year.”

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Panthers announce waiver claims for 6 players on Wednesday

The Panthers officially announced their claims for six players on Wednesday.

Yes, guys. It’s official. It’s confirmed. The deals are sealed.

Following yesterday’s cutdowns to this season’s initial 53-man rosters, the Carolina Panthers announced waiver claims for six players on Wednesday afternoon. The group features former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Keenan Isaac, former New York Jets cornerback Shemar Bartholomew, former Washington Commanders cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields, former Seattle Seahawks linebackers Jamie Sheriff and Jon Rhattigan and former San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Jarrett Kingston.

Carolina’s fresh trio of cornerbacks is headlined by Isaac, who had a standout preseason for the divisional rival Bucs. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound defensive back earned a 90.2 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus over his three exhibition outings on the summer.

To make room for the claims, the Panthers also announced the departures of six players from their initial 53-man roster—wide receivers Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Jalen Coker, offensive lineman Cade Mays, defensive lineman Jayden Peevy, cornerback D’Shawn Jamison and safety Demani Richardson.

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Report: Panthers waive pair of DBs on Wednesday

The Panthers have reportedly waived CB D’Shawn Jamison and S Demani Richardson.

More roster casualties are on the way in Charlotte today.

According to Joe Person of The Athletic, the Carolina Panthers have waived a pair of defensive backs—cornerback D’Shawn Jamison and rookie safety Demani Richardson. The two will join wide receiver Jalen Coker, who has also reportedly been let go after making the team’s initial 53-man roster.

Jamison, ironically enough, first joined the Panthers as a waiver claim following last summer’s initial roster cutdown. Almost a year to the day—on Aug. 30, 2023—the University of Texas product was nabbed of waivers by Carolina alongside offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton and inside linebacker Claudin Cherelus.

The former San Francisco 49er played in 15 games for the Panthers in 2023. Jamison recorded 10 combined tackles and a pass deflection with one start.

He suited up for all three preseason games this summer, logging a total of 96 defensive snaps and three kickoff returns.

Richardson, in his preseason appearances, amassed eight total tackles and an interception.

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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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4 bubble players who have improved their chances to make Panthers’ initial 53-man roster

Here are four Panthers who have really improved their chances of making the team’s initial 53-man roster:

With just one preseason game left, the Carolina Panthers are currently working through a crucial week in evaluating their 90-man roster. And by the time that week is done, the roster will 37 men lighter.

By 4:00 p.m. ET on Aug. 27, all NFL teams must cut down to 53 players. Unfortunately, perhaps especially to those who have really impressed this offseason, that means a lot of guys will be looking for new opportunities.

But which Panthers, particularly the ones on the bubble, have made their cases to stick on by the end of next Tuesday?

Here are four players who have most improved their chances of making Carolina’s initial 53-man roster:

RB Mike Boone

Boone has come out of nowhere to make his case.

The early feeling around Carolina’s backfield was that it would include Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders and Raheem Blackshear as the top three rushers out of the gate. Second-round pick Jonathon Brooks, who remains on the active/non-football injury list, would then factor in upon his return.

But now, Boone may have a lane into the backend of the group. The 29-year-old has amassed 56 yards on 14 carries as well as three receptions for 13 more yards—showing patience and good vision in the backfield along with the shiftiness to create chunk plays.

WR Terrace Marshall Jr.

Marshall Jr.’s NFL career has been nothing if not consistent—but not in a great way. He’ll create some buzz during training camp and preseason, and then underwhelm once the real games begin.

Year No. 4 has been no different, at least through the first phase. Marshall Jr. seems to be making strides in practices, showing he can win at the line of scrimmage and be more consistent as a route runner.

The talent is there. He’s a big receiver at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, with the length and ball skills to make things happen any time the ball is thrown his way.

So while Marshall’s future is still up in the air, his improvement will be tough to overlook for head coach Dave Canales and company.

iDL T.J. Smith

The Panthers are looking for someone to step up alongside Pro Bowler Derrick Brown in 2024. And although they signed A’Shawn Robinson and have a handful of solid linemen returning this season, one unlikely man has emerged as a potential option.

That’s Smith, who has played some productive football in the team’s first two preseason outings. In fact, he leads the defense with a pair of sacks going into the finale on Saturday.

The 6-foot-3, 300-pounder fashions himself as a true five-technique who can create disruption and generate pressure. His explosiveness and ability to gain leverage has allowed him to get into the backfield quickly and create chaos.

There is a reason to believe that the former Razorback could be one of five defensive linemen on the final roster after next week’s cuts. If not, he has a clear path to being a quality player on the practice squad.

CB D’Shawn Jamison

After opening some eyes as a rookie last season, Jamison has stood out this summer.

While the former Texas Longhorn is listed at just 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, he plays much bigger than his billing. He’s physical, competitive and aggressive at the catch point—traits that may qualify him to be one of general manager Dan Morgan’s “dawgs.”

Jamison also has value as a special teams player, both in coverage and as a returner. He fielded a pair of kickoffs in the preseason opener, taking both attempts for 26-yard runs.

With projected starter Dane Jackson out for an extended period due to a hamstring injury, Jamison is making his case to play on Sundays once again.

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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.

Terrace was in the end zone all day today pic.twitter.com/6CKUQAVqVX

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) August 15, 2024

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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Panthers GM Dan Morgan: ‘We’re still in contact with some other cornerbacks’

Dan Morgan on finding a No. 2 CB: “We’re still in contact with some other cornerbacks that you guys may know.”

The Carolina Panthers are still on the prowl.

President of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan joined WFNZ’s The Kyle Bailey Show on Tuesday to talk about his first offseason at the helm. Host Kyle Bailey asked Morgan if he’s hoping to find a more solidified starter at cornerback to pair with Jaycee Horn.

“You wish you could fix everything little thing in one offseason. But sometimes, that’s not the reality,” he replied. “Now, we’re gonna try to do so. But sometimes, it doesn’t always work out the way that you want it to.

“But we’re really excited about some of the guys that we do have on the roster. Dane Jackson—we signed him in free agency. We re-signed Troy Hill. We have D’Shawn Jamison. We have [Dicaprio] Bootle. So there’s some guys that we are excited about. But that’s not to say we’re not gonna be aggressive to attack the waiver wire. We’re still in contact with some other corners that you guys may know about.”

One of the guys we may know about is probably five-time Pro Bowler and 2019 Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore. The Rock Hill, S.C. native has been linked to the Panthers over the past handful of weeks, even by Morgan himself.

He continued.

“So, yeah, we’re gonna be aggressive,” Morgan added. “We’re gonna try to make this roster the best that it can be, to be as competitive as it can be this season. But we also are gonna be smart. We definitely have a plan and we’re gonna do things the right way.”

Some other notable free-agent corners include Xavien Howard, Adoree’ Jackson and Steven Nelson.

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Is Dane Jackson the favorite to be Panthers’ CB2 in 2024?

The Athletic’s Joe Person believes the Panthers will give free-agent signee Dane Jackson a chance to win the CB2 job this season.

When it comes to who will start opposite of Jaycee Horn in the Carolina Panthers secondary this season, the answer may already be on the roster.

All things considered, president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan set his Panthers up quite nicely during the transition from free agency to the 2024 draft. The front office filled a handful of pressing needs—signing guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis, trading for former Pro Bowl wideout Diontae Johnson and convincing pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney to come home—in allowing them to pick the best players available later this month.

But what about the cornerback position? Not only did Carolina ship off a longtime starter in Donte Jackson, but they also added just one player to the mix—Dane Jackson.

But according to Joe Person of The Athletic, Jackson may be all the Panthers need to fill the CB2 spot. In his latest seven-round mock draft, Person notes that the team will give the free-agent signee “a chance to win” the starting spot.

That may not be a shock considering Morgan’s history with Jackson, whom he “pounded the table for” a few years back. While serving as the director of player personnel for the Buffalo Bills, Morgan pushed for the selection of the Pittsburgh corner in the seventh round of the 2020 draft.

Since then, Jackson has recorded 28 starts over his 52 NFL outings.

Other than Jackson, the current depth chart has a handful of more inexperienced options for the outside. Discounting Troy Hill—who will man the nickel—the Panthers could look to D’Shawn Jamison, Dicaprio Bootle and Lamar Jackson.

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Carolina Panthers Honors: Our 2023 season awards

If the NFL isn’t going to honor individuals from the 2023 Panthers, then we will!

NFL Honors, the league’s annual awards show, will be held tonight out of Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas. And, uh, not that they deserve it—but this year’s Carolina Panthers won’t be well-represented.

So, somebody’s gonna honor our guys, right?

Here are our awards and winners from their 2023 season: