Panthers G Robert Hunt has played in every one of Carolina’s 967 offensive snaps this season. But that streak will end today.
Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn won’t be finishing his first Pro Bowl campaign on the field.
Horn, who was ruled out of this afternoon’s regular-season finale against the Atlanta Falcons on Friday due to a hip injury, is one of seven inactive players for the Panthers here in Week 18. The fourth-year defender also missed last week’s 48-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Panthers will also be without starting inside linebacker Josey Jewell (concussion) for a second straight outing.
In somewhat of a surprise, the offense won’t have starting right guard Robert Hunt in the lineup for the first time this season. Hunt, who has played every offensive snap (967) for Carolina, was listed as questionable with a knee injury entering the weekend.
Second-year lineman Chandler Zavala will get the start in Hunt’s place.
Here’s the full list of inactives for the Panthers today:
Why did the Panthers sign rookie QB Jack Plummer to the active roster last week? HC Dave Canales explained why on Wednesday.
The Carolina Panthers made a somewhat intriguing move prior to this past weekend’s matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and head coach Dave Canales explained the rationale behind it on Wednesday.
On Saturday, the team signed quarterback Jack Plummer, along with veteran running back Mike Boone, from their practice squad to the active roster. The undrafted rookie, however, did not go on to play Sunday—even in what turned out to be a 48-14 loss to the host Bucs.
So, will Plummer get to see the field in this week’s regular-season finale against the Atlanta Falcons? You never know!
“Yeah, we had an opportunity. We had a roster spot,” head coach Dave Canales said of the decision this afternoon. “And for Jack, he’s been working so hard. I thought, ‘Shoot, let’s get him up.’
“Like, a lot of teams have three quarterbacks, and we’ve chosen not to to have people available in other positions. But the opportunity presented itself. And so, I was like, ‘Shoot, let’s get him up there.’ You never know.”
Canales stated on Monday that he plans on playing quarterback Bryce Young, as well as the rest of the team’s available starters, in Week 18. Young, for the second week in a row, will be backed on the depth chart by 14th-year veteran Andy Dalton and the 25-year-old Plummer.
Adding Plummer to the active roster also prevents the possibility of him being poached. Plummer now cannot be signed off Carolina’s practice squad by any of the NFL’s other 31 teams.
Panthers HC Dave Canales on playing starters in Week 18: “Our mentality as a team is to finish strong.”
The Carolina Panthers, no matter how battered and bruised they may be at the moment, are looking to finish the 2024 campaign with their best effort.
Head coach Dave Canales spoke with reporters on Monday afternoon, less than 24 hours after yesterday’s 48-14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was asked if he plans on starting quarterback Bryce Young in the season finale against the Atlanta Falcons this weekend.
“Absolutely,” Canales replied. “Our mentality as a team is to finish strong. We have one more opportunity to get back to our football, to play balanced football, complementary football. And the pursuit of that continues this week against the Falcons.”
Young, according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats from the Week 17 defeat, faced the most pressure of any quarterback in a single game this season. But despite that, and the five sacks, the second-year passer turned in yet another encouraging performance—throwing for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Outside of Young, the Panthers are also rostering 14th-year veteran Andy Dalton and undrafted rookie Jack Plummer at the quarterback position. Plummer was officially signed to the active roster on Saturday.
Canales was then asked if he also expects to field his other starters.
“Yup,” he stated. “The focus is for all of us, the guys that are available, we’re playing. This game, these opportunities are so important as we learn about who we are as a team, as we’re continuing to progress and develop our systems and our concepts. So we’re taking this as any opportunity to finish.”
They’ll finish beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET in Atlanta on Sunday.
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.
The Panthers shuffled their safeties and called up a former first-rounder ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Broncos.
The Carolina Panthers shuffled some of their safeties ahead of their Week 8 matchup against the Denver Broncos.
As announced on Saturday afternoon, the team placed Nick Scott on injured reserve. Scott, who sustained a hamstring injury in last Sunday’s loss to the Washington Commanders, has appeared in all seven of Carolina’s games this season—amassing 28 combined tackles and two passes defensed with four starts.
To make up for the loss, the Panthers activated team captain and special teams ace Sam Franklin Jr. from injured reserve. Franklin Jr. has yet to debut in 2024 after breaking his foot back in training camp.
Carolina also signed safety Russ Yeast from their practice squad to the active roster.
Yeast will be joined from the practice squad by rookie quarterback Jack Plummer and cornerback Caleb Farley, who have been elevated to the roster for Sunday’s contest. Plummer will provide some depth behind starter Bryce Young and backup Andy Dalton, who has been listed as doubtful with a right thumb sprain.
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 . . .
Keep it here as we track each move the Panthers make in getting to their initial 53-man roster
Despite the difficult decisions that lie ahead, Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales isn’t shying away from the challenge of getting down to his very first 53-man roster.
“Yeah, it’s hard. And I’m excited for it,” he told reporters after last Wednesday’s practice. “When you respect and regard the whole unit and you’re kinda bringing everybody up at the same time—with the teaching, with the practices, the drill work and all those things as we improve everyone—it makes the decisions harder and harder.
“So I’m really excited about doing this with Dan [Morgan], with Brandt [Tilis], with the coaching staff. We’ve kinda had our touch-points throughout camp to evaluate where we’re at right now, and then we’ll have that culmination after we get through this last game.”
Well, they got through that game—besting the host Buffalo Bills in their final preseason outing of the summer on Saturday. So now, the “excitement” begins.
Keep it here, from now until 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, as we track each of the team’s moves in the path to their initial 53-man roster for the 2024 season.
Bryce Young and Jack Plummer delivered for the Panthers in Saturday’s preseason finale.
The Carolina Panthers wrapped up their 2024 preseason with a pretty exciting showing against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.
We saw quarterback Bryce Young orchestrate a beautiful opening drive in his summer debut, undrafted rookie Jack Plummer explode for 278 passing yards and a handful of other youngsters try to make their case for the team’s initial 53-man roster.
But what did Pro Football Focus see?
Here are the best and worst PFF grades for Carolina in their 31-26 victory:
Best of the offense
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1. TE Jesper Horstead: 95.2
2. QB Jack Plummer: 90.4
3. WR Terrace Marshall Jr.: 87.4
4. TE Feleipe Franks: 83.5
5. QB Bryce Young: 82.2
Young and Plummer combined for 370 passing yards and three touchdowns.
Horsted ended as the game’s leading receiver, reeling in a pair of catches for 63 yards. Marshall Jr. added three receptions, 39 yards and an impressive score of their own.
Let’s pick some winners from the Panthers’ preseason victory over the Bills on Saturday.
The Carolina Panthers ended their preseason on a high note, defeating the Buffalo Bills in their final exhibition on Saturday afternoon.
So, for one last time this summer, let’s pick some winners from the 31-26 victory . . .
Starting offense
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It may have taken until the very last preseason game, but we finally got our sneak peek at quarterback Bryce Young and (most of) the starting offense. And boy, it was worth the wait.
Young led a clean 12-play, 85-yard touchdown drive on the game’s opening possession—completing six of his eight throws for 70 yards. The charge was capped off by an 8-yard reception in the end zone by tight end Jordan Matthews, who also reeled in an 8-yarder to begin the trek.
In all, Young connected with a total of five pass catchers on the drive—including wideouts Diontae Johnson (17 yards), Adam Thielen (21 yards) and Jonathan Mingo (3 yards) as well as rookie tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders (13 yards). So while this was just one touch in an exhibition game against Buffalo’s backups, it sure was nice to see a functioning offense—especially with Bryce on the field.
QB Jack Plummer
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Young wasn’t the only Panthers quarterback who impressed this afternoon.
Plummer put forth his most poised and polished preseason performance of the summer, completing 21 of his 29 chucks for 278 yards and two scores. The undrafted rookie’s efforts helped the Panthers finish with 414 yards of total offense and four touchdowns, after coming in with only 307 total yards and one touchdown in their previous two summer contests combined.
Unfortunately for Plummer, his chances of making the team’s initial 53-man roster remain slim. But at least he put together some eye-opening tape to punctuate off his busy offseason—whether that leads to Carolina’s practice squad or to another NFL locker room.
WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
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One of Plummer’s touchdowns ended up in the hands of Marshall Jr., who finished with three receptions for 39 yards. His score wasn’t a cheapie either, as he fought through a pair of would-be tacklers for a 15-yard trip to the end zone.
The 2021 second-round pick has been battling for one of the final spots in the team’s receiving room, a fight that features veteran David Moore—who has previous ties to head coach Dave Canales from both Seattle and Tampa Bay. Marshall Jr. may also have to fend off Ihmir Smith-Marsette, who sustained an ankle injury during the game.
RB Mike Boone
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Boone proved he was much more than just a body this summer.
The 29-year-old rusher racked up 20 yards and a touchdown on four carries. He has now ended preseason play with 76 rushing yards on 18 attempts, good enough for a solid 4.2 yards per tote.
With Canales’ intent on establishing the run as well as the early absence of rookie and second-round pick Jonathon Brooks, Boone may have earned himself the backfield’s No. 3 role behind Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders.
