The Panthers made a pair of additions to their practice squad on Wednesday morning.
Jordan Matthews is back, again.
On Wednesday, the Carolina Panthers announced they brought back the veteran tight end to their practice squad. The 32-year-old was released on Tuesday, when the team signed fellow tight end Feleipe Franks to the active roster.
Matthews, who has been with the organization since last season, had a standout summer. He was the second-leading receiver for the Panthers during the preseason, as he reeled in seven catches for 68 yards and a touchdown.
Joining Matthews on the practice squad will be safety Russ Yeast, who was also added this morning. The 25-year-old defender has spent the last three seasons as a member of the Los Angeles Rams.
A First-team All-Big 12 selection at Kansas State University in 2021, Yeast was a seventh-round selection of Los Angeles during the 2022 draft. He’s gone on to appear in 33 games for the Rams since, totaling 81 combined tackles and five passes defensed with 10 starts.
The Panthers announced a series of moves on Tuesday afternoon.
Amidst the aftermath from the bombshell news of quarterback Bryce Young’s demotion, the Carolina Panthers still kept it moving on Tuesday.
The team announced a new wave of roster moves this afternoon, headlined by the departure of outside linebacker Eku Leota. As first reported by NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero earlier in the day, the Panthers have waived the second-year defender—who made his first career start in this past Sunday’s 26-3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Leota, an undrafted signee from the spring of 2023, has spent the last two years with the organization. He’s played in 10 games for the Panthers, totaling eight tackles (three for a loss) and a sack.
Carolina also turned their attention to the tight end room, signing practice member Feleipe Franks to the active roster and releasing 32-year-old veteran Jordan Matthews. Franks and Matthews both appeared in the Panthers’ first two outings of the 2024 campaign.
The Panthers have elevated TE Feleipe Franks from the practice squad ahead of their home opener against the Chargers.
The Carolina Panthers made just one call-up from the practice squad this weekend.
As announced on Saturday afternoon, the team has elevated tight end Feleipe Franks ahead of tomorrow’s home opener against the Los Angeles Chargers. This will be the 26-year-old’s second consecutive game in uniform to start the 2024 campaign.
His first, last Sunday’s season-opening loss to the New Orleans Saints, came as a member of the team’s 53-man roster. He recorded four snaps on offense and 17 on special teams, where he recovered a muffed punt towards the end of the 47-10 defeat.
Franks would then be waived by the Panthers the very next day. He’d return as a member of the practice squad on Wednesday.
With starter Tommy Tremble listed as questionable with injuries to his hamstring and back, Franks will provide some depth at the tight end position for Carolina. But that depth is likelier to be considered insurance, as head coach Dave Canales told reporters on Friday that he expects Tremble to make his season debut.
Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway are expected to get significant playing time vs. Texas A&M, so let’s dive into the Gators’ history with the dual quarterback strategy.
The world of college football is always changing and evolving with new strategies and game plans to help teams have success, but there hasn’t been many that have been as intriguing or debated as the use of the dual quarterback system.
For the Florida Gators football team, this dual quarterback approach to the game is nothing new as they will be using that strategy on Saturday when they play the Texas A&M Aggies.
Because of that, let’s dive into Florida’s history with the dual quarterback system. Again, it’s not a new concept for the Gators.
The Mid-1980s
The concept of using several quarterbacks goes back to the mid-1980s. The Gators head coach at the time was Galen Hall who was the offensive coordinator for Florida in 1984 before becoming the interim head coach on Sept. 17 of that same year.
Hall was named the interim head coach because the previous coach, Charley Pell, was fired after an NCAA investigation alleged that he and his coaching staff had committed over 100 violations pertaining to the NCAA rules during the previous couple of seasons.
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Because of this, the Florida football program had a two-year bowl ban, scholarships were lost and there were restrictions on recruiting.
Anyway, Hall took over as head coach and began experimenting with different signal-callers. Despite it not being the team’s primary tactic, these early trials were key to shaping the team’s offensive approach.
The Spurrier Era
Florida’s offensive strategy during the 1990s completely evolved under head coach Steve Spurrier.
Spurrier occasionally used a dual quarterback system to exploit different weaknesses in the defense.
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In 1994, Spurrier used both quarterbacks Terry Dean and Danny Wuerffel. Wuerffel eventually became Florida’s starting quarterback and won the Heisman Trophy in 1996, but Dean’s presence allowed Spurrier to keep the opponents guessing by mixing up the offense. It created a sense of unpredictability with the Gators offensive attack.
Chris Leak and Tim Tebow
Florida’s head coach from 2005-2010 was Urban Meyer who implemented the spread offense.
Meyer didn’t necessarily use the dual quarterback approach as the team’s offensive strategy, but there were instances where multiple quarterbacks played a significant amount of snaps.
During the 2006 season, Chris Leak was Florida’s starting quarterback and Tim Tebow was the backup. Leak was a more proficient passer but didn’t have the skillset to run the ball like Tebow and Meyer knew that. So, Meyer used Tebow several different ways, mainly in goal-line packages and short-yardage situations.
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By using Tebow’s strength and power, Meyer was able to create mismatches with the defense while also enabling unpredictable play calls. This strategy played a key role in helping the Gators win a national championship that year.
Feleipe Franks and Emory Jones
Skipping ahead to 2018, the dual quarterback system returned to the Gators offense under head coach Dan Mullen.
Mullen utilized both quarterbacks Feleipe Franks and Emory Jones to create an offensive attack that was effective and efficient.
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Franks was the primary starter for Florida because of his arm and ability to throw the deep ball while Jones was a mobile and dynamic alternative.
The strategy that Mullen implemented was to rotate the quarterbacks depending on the situation of the game. Jones was used for designed runs and unpredictability while Franks was used to execute the primary passing game.
Looking back on the strategy
The dual quarterback approach has proved to be an effective strategy given what it’s done in the history of Florida Gators football. Although the dual quarterback system hasn’t been a constant feature of their strategy, its use in crucial seasons shows the Gators’ readiness to innovate and adapt.
As the Gators roll out in the Swamp against Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon, they’ll be implementing the same strategy that has been engraved in the program’s history over the years.
Both Mertz and Lagway will be seeing significant playing time, but it’s up to Napier to find out which quarterback can help his team win when it matters most.
Coming up for the Gators
Florida will play at home in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium against Texas A&M on Saturday, Sept. 14. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ABC.
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The Panthers officially announced their addition of former first-round pick and veteran pass rusher Charles Harris.
The Carolina Panthers have officially added another former first-round pick to their edge.
As announced on Wednesday morning, the team has signed veteran pass rusher Charles Harris. Carolina’s plans to add the seventh-year defender were first reported on yesterday morning by NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero.
Harris, a two-time Second-team All-SEC selection out of the University of Missouri, was selected with the 22nd overall pick of the 2017 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins. He’d play his first three pro campaigns there, amassing 61 combined tackles and 3.5 sacks over 41 games.
After spending the 2020 campaign with the Atlanta Falcons, Harris landed in Detroit—where he’d play the most productive ball of his NFL career. That started right away in 2021, when he posted bests in tackles (65), sacks (7.5) and forced fumbles (two).
The 29-year-old will join a relatively light pass-rushing room—one that includes a fellow ex-first-rounder in Jadeveon Clowney as well as second-year players DJ Johnson and Eku Leota.
Carolina also announced they have signed tight end Feleipe Franks back to their practice squad. Franks, a member of the active roster in Week 1, was waived on Tuesday.
The Panthers have waived TE Feleipe Franks, who made one of the team’s very few positive plays in Sunday’s loss to the Saints.
Feleipe Franks’ stay on the Carolina Panthers roster was a very brief one.
The team announced on Monday that they have waived the 26-year-old tight end. Franks was one of two players, along with defensive lineman Jayden Peevy, who were signed to the active roster this past Saturday.
A quarterback at the University of Florida, Franks broke into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in 2021. He began his transition to the tight end position during the summer of 2022.
Franks initially joined the Panthers this past July. After being waived during the initial roster cutdown, the 6-foot-6, 228-pounder was brought back as a member of the practice squad in late August.
With fellow tight end Tommy Tremble and Ian Thomas having been ruled out for yesterday’s regular-season opener against the New Orleans Saints, Franks was signed up the roster to provide depth at the position. He played four snaps on offensive and 17 on special teams, where he recovered a muffed punt in the waning moments of the 47-10 loss.
The Panthers made a handful of moves just ahead of their regular-season opener in New Orleans.
The Carolina Panthers made a handful of last-minute adjustments before this weekend’s regular-season opener.
As announced on Saturday, the team placed tight end Ian Thomas on injured reserve—helping prompt one of two new additions to the active roster. Taking Thomas’ spot will be fellow tight end Feleipe Franks, who entered September as a member of Carolina’s practice squad.
Franks, a quarterback during his collegiate career at the University of Florida, cracked into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in 2021. He began his transition to the tight end position in the summer of 2022.
The Panthers first inked Franks on July 26, 2024, waived him a month later during their initial roster cutdown and then re-signed him to the practice squad. He’ll help provide some depth at tight end with the absences of Thomas and starter Tommy Tremble, who has been ruled out of Sunday’s matchup against the New Orleans Saints with a hamstring injury.
Joining Franks on the active roster is defensive lineman Jayden Peevy, another member of the team’s practice squad.
Carolina also promoted running back Mike Boone and safety Lonnie Johnson for the contest.
Panthers HC Dave Canales confirmed that rookie TE Ja’Tavion Sanders will get the start in Sunday’s regular-season opener.
On Friday, the Carolina Panthers released their final injury report ahead of this weekend’s regular-season opener against the New Orleans Saints. And, as expected, starting tight ends Tommy Tremble (hamstring/back) and Ian Thomas (calf) have been ruled out after missing each of this week’s practices.
Also as expected, their absences has opened the door for rookie Ja’Tavion Sanders to get the start at the position on Sunday. Head coach Dave Canales confirmed the nod following this afternoon’s session.
This, obviously, means the 21-year-old tight end is set to start in what will be his very first regular-season game in the NFL. Sanders earned the honor through his eye-opening offseason.
“It’s exponential growth, every day,” Canales said of Sanders during training camp. “What I’ve seen him do is just kinda really take big leaps in the techniques. And you’ll see that with young guys. You’ll see big leaps, and then you wanna get them to the point where it’s consistent. And then we take our incremental growth—just like some of the veteran guys who have been around.
“So JT is taking those steps that we’re looking for. Made a big play at Fan Fest to end it, to end the scrimmage on a corner. Had a couple nice plays today, nice catches. He’s doin’ it. He’s making the most of his opportunity. It’s pushed him right up with that first group, to be able to show the guys you can count on him and he’s been really dependable with that.”
Carolina selected Sanders to kick off the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft. Over his last two years at the University of Texas, he recorded 99 receptions for 1,295 yards and seven touchdowns en route to a pair of First-Team All-Big 12 selections.
Sanders is currently joined at the position by 32-year-old veteran Jordan Matthews, the only other healthy tight end on the active roster. The Panthers can also promote Feleipe Franks from the practice squad to give themselves some depth.
The Panthers have officially assembled their initial 16-man practice squad for the 2024 season.
The Carolina Panthers have officially assembled their first 16-man practice squad for 2024.
Some faces you’ll recognize—such as quarterback Jack Plummer, running back Mike Boone, wide receiver Jalen Coker, linebacker Chandler Wooten and safety Alex Cook, who appeared in 10 games for the Panthers during the 2023 campaign.
And same faces you’ll have to get to know—such as offensive lineman Ja’Tyre Carter, linebackers Tarron Jackson and Thomas Inboom and cornerback Lonnie Johnson, who spent last season with the NFC South rival New Orleans Saints.
So, without further ado, here is Carolina’s initial practice squad on the year:
Follow along as we track each of the Panthers’ additions to their initial 2024 practice squad
Yesterday wasn’t the only instance of heavy construction that we’ll see this week.
On Tuesday, NFL teams cut ties and made moves on over 1,000 players in shaping their initial 53-man rosters for the 2024 campaign. Some of those players will find their ways back on to other active rosters and even more will return to a locker room as practice-squad players.
As soon as the activity on Wednesday’s waiver wire is through, those who are not claimed can be signed to practice squads—often a 16-man group used as depth for practice sessions, scout work and emergency game situations.
Now, there’s little question as to if the Carolina Panthers and general manager Dan Morgan will be busy today. Morgan, on a few occasions, hasn’t been shy to flex the advantage of having the league’s very top spot on the waiver wire.
But when that work is through, we’ll need to shift our focus right to the taxi squad.
So, keep it here as we track each of the team’s additions to their initial practice squad for 2024 . . .
