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
Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images
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
Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images
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
Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images
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.
Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images
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
Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images
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.
Our first and only peek at Panthers QB Bryce Young this preseason was a fun one.
Bryce Young’s preseason debut was worth the wait.
For the first time this summer, the Carolina Panthers rolled out some of their starters to get them a bit of exhibition action. Among those who took the field at Highmark Stadium on Saturday included Young, who absolutely shined on the game’s opening possession.
The second-year quarterback completed six of his eight passing attempts for 70 yards and a touchdown. Young’s score found the hands of tight end Jordan Matthews for an 8-yard connection.
Bryce Young finds Jordan Matthews in the end zone ‼️
Carolina’s 85-yard drive spanned a total of 12 plays, a trek that featured a few other impressive displays from Young. One of those saw the second-year passer escape a pressure-filled pocket to find wide receiver Diontae Johnson on a nifty 17-yard completion.
Panthers great and preseason color commentator Steve Smith Sr. had an interesting evaluation of Jack Plummer’s pocket presence.
Carolina Panthers preseason football is back, which means one of the sharpest tongues in the summer broadcast booth has been unleashed. And well, it didn’t disappoint on Thursday night—when the Panthers took the field against the New England Patriots for their first exhibition match of the season.
Ladies and gentleman, we give you color commentator and the franchise’s all-time leading receiver Steve Smith Sr . . .
During broadcast, Steve Smith says Jack Plummer needs more pocket awareness. "He's back there like he's waiting on an Uber."
With usual starting quarterback Bryce Young and backup Andy Dalton among the 33 players who were ruled out for the contest, Plummer got the nod under center for the first half. The undrafted rookie, however, hasn’t really done too much to impress thus far—as he completed eight of his 16 attempts for 63 yards.
Plummer has also been sacked four times on the night, resulting in a total loss of 33 yards. The Panthers entered the break in Foxborough facing a 7-0 deficit with just 70 yards of total offense.
Dave Canales said the Panthers are “working through getting another quarterback” while backup Andy Dalton is sidelined.
Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales may finally be bringing in that veteran arm he’s previously alluded to.
This year’s Fan Fest went down without a few notable names on the field Thursday night. Among the non-participants was backup quarterback Andy Dalton, who was sidelined with a quad injury.
Canales was asked about Dalton’s status.
“Andy’s got a quad injury right now,” Canales told reporters. “And so, we’re just trying to get him back. I’m not sure exactly the timeline—it’s a couple of weeks. But we’ll work him through it.”
With the 14th-year veteran down, third-stringer Jack Plummer took over the extra reps. And although Canales seemed encouraged by the undrafted rookie’s work, he’d later add an interesting wrinkle during his post-practice press conference.
“So Jack’s gonna play a lot and we’re still working through getting another quarterback here for the time being while we don’t have Andy,” he stated of the team’s plans moving forward.
Carolina’s first preseason matchup comes in exactly one week, when they travel to Foxboro, Mass. to see the New England Patriots.
Panthers QB Andy Dalton may be out for a few weeks with a quad injury.
Carolina Panthers backup quarterback Andy Dalton was a no-go at tonight’s Fan Fest outing of training camp. But why?
Head coach Dave Canales was asked about Dalton’s inactivity during his post-practice press conference.
“Andy’s got a quad injury right now,” Canales told reporters. “And so, we’re just trying to get him back. I’m not sure exactly the timeline—it’s a couple of weeks. But we’ll work him through it.”
Dalton isn’t the first Panther to experience a setback with his quad this summer. The 14th-year veteran joins tight end Stephen Sullivan, who was placed on injured reserve just hours before Thursday’s session, on the shelf.
In Dalton’s stead was third-stringer Jack Plummer, who has been with the team since the spring. Canales went on to add that he was encouraged by the undrafted rookie passer getting some fresh opportunities.
“And it was good for Jack Plummer, to get those reps,” he said. “Started off that first possession—missed a couple open guys just high. Part of the jitters. It’s part of it. It’s just so good to see him work through that, settle himself and start making plays.”
