Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
The Panthers currently have 26 players slated for free agency in 2024.
Things have changed a bit since the last time we brought you this free agent list.
A few weeks back, the Carolina Panthers held on to a few of their own—re-signing tight end Stephen Sullivan and defensive linemen Nick Thurman LaBryan Ray to fresh deals.
So, let’s take an updated look at the team’s pending 2024 free agents.
The Panthers closed the book on TE Hayden Hurst and G Justin McCray for 2023 while bringing up DL Chris Wormley from their practice squad.
The Carolina Panthers made a handful of moves on Friday.
First, the team placed a pair of ailing players on injured reserve—tight end Hayden Hurst (concussion) and guard Justin McCray (calf). With just four games to go and the Panthers already eliminated from playoff contention, their 2023 seasons are now officially over.
They also filled one of those spots by making an addition to their roster, signing defensive lineman Chris Wormley from the practice squad. Wormley has appeared in the team’s last three outings.
Here, following those decisions, is an updated look at the active roster:
The Panthers have signed DL Chris Wormley to their active roster.
On Friday, the Carolina Panthers officially placed tight end Hayden Hurst and offensive lineman Justin McCray on injured reserve, effectively ending their 2023 seasons. The moves also opened up a pair of spots on the team’s active roster, giving way to a more positive bit of news this afternoon.
In the same release, the Panthers announced they have signed defensive lineman Chris Wormley to the 53-man roster. The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder, who inked on to the practice squad back on Sept. 11, has now appeared in three games this season.
Before coming over to Carolina, Wormley spent his first six NFL seasons in the AFC North—splitting his time between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Over that time, the 2017 third-round pick recorded 142 combined tackles, 11.0 sacks and two forced fumbles in 80 games.
Wormley’s 2022 campaign was cut short after sustaining a torn ACL in Pittsburgh’s Week 14 contest against, ironically enough, the Ravens. He proceeded to undergo season-ending surgery and was placed on injured reserve to close up the campaign.
Week 12’s trip to Tennessee marked Wormley’s return to the field since the injury.
[lawrence-related id=687344,687340,687308]
Along with TE Hayden Hurst, the Panthers have also placed G Justin McCray on season-ending inured reserve.
Hayden Hurst has himself some company.
As expected, the Carolina Panthers have officially placed the sixth-year tight end on injured reserve due to his concussion. They also announced on Friday afternoon that he’ll be joined on the shelf by guard Justin McCray, who sustained a calf injury in last week’s loss to the New Orleans Saints.
McCray, who had previous ties to offensive line coach James Campen, first joined the Panthers as a free agent this past spring. He would eventually be cut during the team’s move to their initial 53-man roster and was then brought back as a member of the practice squad.
The 31-year-old played in four games this season, with starts in each of the past two weeks. Upon leaving this past Sunday’s outing after just one offensive snap, McCray was replaced at left guard by Cade Mays—who is likely to get the starting nod against the Atlanta Falcons this weekend.
[lawrence-related id=687344,687333,687301]
The Panthers will seemingly be rolling with Cade Mays at LG in Week 15.
The instability of the Carolina Panthers’ interior offensive line will continue into Week 15. But perhaps a bit of promise from Week 14 can help get them through the rest of a rough campaign.
On Wednesday, interim head coach Chris Tabor did not rule out the possibility that Justin McCray, who started at left guard in last Sunday’s loss to the New Orleans Saints, will miss the rest of the season with a calf injury. He did, however, just about confirm that Cade Mays—who came on in relief of McCray—will get the nod against the Atlanta Falcons this weekend.
Mays played in 79 of the offense’s 80 snaps in Week 15. His outing yielded an 89.9 overall grade from Pro Football Focus—the highest single-game mark for any Panthers offensive lineman this season.
Tabor was asked what that performance told him about the second-year hog molly.
“It talks a lot about him, obviously, as player, No. 2—about his preparation and his process,” Tabor replied. “And that he’s locked in, ready to go. So that he’s getting, whether it be scout team reps, those reps matter. And I think that’s what the kid did and I’m proud of him.”
With injuries to their usual guards in Brady Christensen and Austin Corbett, the Panthers have been forced to use five different starters on the left and six different starters on the right.
[lawrence-related id=687238,687226,687220]
Panthers interim HC Chris Tabor said he expects to see the same starting guard combination from last week.
Meet Sunday’s two starting guards, same as last week’s two starting guards.
Carolina Panthers interim head coach Chris Tabor told reporters on Friday that he expects offensive linemen Justin McCray and Nash Jensen to get the starting nods at the guard positions in Week 14. Both started against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week, with McCray lining up on the left and Jensen on right.
“Yeah, 100 percent,” Tabor said when asked if he’s confident in what they have at their disposal. “We’d be perfectly fine with those guys playin’ in there and givin’ us a chance to win.”
Week 13 marked the first starts of the 2023 campaign for McCray and Jensen, with the latter getting the very first start of his NFL career. The duo, however, did not fare well according to Pro Football Focus—who gave them the two lowest overall offensive grades for the Panthers.
Tabor also acknowledged that he’d be comfortable if Gabe Jackson, who signed to the team’s practice squad last week, had to play.
[lawrence-related id=686947,686934,686923]
Justin McCray replaces fellow hog molly Brett Toth on the Panthers’ active roster.
The Panthers have signed G Justin McCray to their active roster.
Justin McCray has taken Brett Toth’s place twice.
On Monday, the Carolina Panthers waived Toth—who started in the Week 12 loss against the Tennessee Titans. So, to fill the vacancy, the team signed McCray—who started in the Week 13 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers—to the active roster on Tuesday.
The veteran interior lineman had been called up from the practice squad this past Saturday, giving him three standard elevations on the season. That trio of promotions forced Carolina’s hand to either waive McCray or, as they did, make him a member of the 53-man roster.
McCray manned the left guard position in the 21-18 defeat on Sunday. He played in every one of the offense’s 72 snaps from the interior along with undrafted rookie Nash Jensen, who took the right side in his first career start.
The 31-year-old hog molly, per Pro Football Focus, allowed three pressures of quarterback Bryce Young over 38 pass-blocking opportunities.
[lawrence-related id=686701,686658,686644]
How did Panthers CB Jaycee Horn fare in the first game back from his hamstring injury?
The Carolina Panthers welcomed a handful of key defenders back against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. But how did they factor into the eventual 21-18 loss?
Here are the top takeaways from Week 13’s snap counts:
Panthers DT Derrick Brown notched a season-high seven pressures in Week 13.
Who chopped the most wood in Sunday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
Here are the best and worst Pro Football Focus grades for the Carolina Panthers in Week 13:
