Tag: Kobe Jones

Panthers cutting Michael Jordan, Kobe Jones

Per Joseph Person of The Athletic, the Panthers are cutting G Michael Jordan and OLB Kobe Jones.

The Carolina Panthers are cutting MJ and Kobe. Yeah, you read that correctly.

As first reported by Joe Person of The Athletic on Tuesday morning, the team is parting ways with guard Michael Jordan and outside linebacker Kobe Jones.

Jordan, a fourth-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals from the 2019 NFL draft, initially joined the organization on Sept. 1, 2021. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound lineman would go on to start in 10 of his 11 games in his first season with the team—all from the left guard position.

After spending a bit of time on the open market following the 2022 campaign, where he picked up just a pair of appearances on the offensive line, Jordan was re-signed to a one-year pact on May 11, 2023. He’d go on to have a rough preseason for Carolina, relinquishing eight pressures (two sacks) over three outings.

Jones, a summer standout during practices, also had a preseason to forget. He recorded just one pressure off 68 pass-rushing opportunities.

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Biggest storylines for Panthers’ preseason finale vs. Lions

Will Panthers QB Bryce Young have more time to shine in Friday’s preseason finale?

Friday’s final dress rehearsal could mean the beginning of the show for some and curtains for others. And for general manager Scott Fitterer, head coach Frank Reich the Carolina Panthers, it’ll be the last chance to decide who of those players stay on their program heading into the fall.

Here are the top storylines for the all-important preseason finale:

Stock up, stock down from Panthers’ preseason loss to Giants

Panthers WR Shi Smith is on the ups after another impressive outing this preseason.

Which Carolina Panthers just increased (and decreased) their chances at making the initial 53-man roster?

Here are the players who notably helped and hurt their causes in Friday night’s preseason loss to the New York Giants:

Top takeaways from Panthers’ snap counts in preseason loss to Giants

Friday night’s battle at right guard was highlighted by a pair of Panthers rookies.

Preseason games don’t count, but the snaps do. Just ask Bryce Young.

So, let’s see what we can take away from the Carolina Panthers’ snap totals from their loss to the New York Giants.

Stock up, stock down from Panthers’ preseason loss to Jets

A few Panthers linebackers improved their stock in the team’s preseason opener against the Jets.

This may be difficult to believe, but a few Carolina Panthers players improved their cases in the team’s 27-0 preseason loss to the New York Jets. Oh, and there were also definitely a few who didn’t.

Here’s our stock report from Saturday’s action:

Top takeaways from Panthers’ snap counts in preseason loss to Jets

We may have gotten a hint as to how the Panthers and Ejiro Evero plan to use Jeremy Chinn this season.

According to head coach Frank Reich, the Carolina Panthers didn’t tip much of their hand during Saturday’s preseason opener against the New York Jets. But did their snap counts from the 27-0 loss tell us anything?

Let’s poke for some takeaways . . .

Biggest storylines in Panthers’ preseason opener vs. Jets

Bryce Young won’t be the only Panthers QB worth keeping an eye on Saturday.

In case you weren’t aware, we finally have ourselves some Carolina Panthers football on Saturday.

Here are the top storylines to keep note of during the preseason opener against the New York Jets:

4 position battles to watch in Panthers’ preseason opener vs. Jets

Are Terrace Marshall Jr. and Jonathan Mingo in a battle for the Panthers’ X receiver role? If they are, it could intensify during Saturday’s preseason opener.

On Saturday afternoon, the Carolina Panthers will kick off their preseason by locking up with their joint practice partners in the New York Jets. But there will be battles within that battle, as there always is during the summer.

So, let’s take a look at four of the most intriguing of them . . .

Panthers add three players to practice squad

The busy Panthers made three additions to their practice squad on Monday.

From firing a pair of defensive coaches to bringing quarterback Sam Darnold back to the active roster, the Carolina Panthers had themselves a busy Monday. But they didn’t stop maneuvering there.

The team also added three players to its practice squad—wide receiver Emeka Emezie, linebacker Kobe Jones and cornerback Gavin Heslop.

Emezie, a Waxhaw, N.C. native and Marvin Ridge Maverick, attended North Carolina State University from 2017 to 2021. There, he reeled in 229 receptions for 2,895 yards and 19 touchdowns over 62 games.

Jones, who played his college ball at Mississippi State University from 2017 to 2020, has appeared in one NFL game during his pro career. That outing came this season with the Green Bay Packers back in Week 8—where he played seven snaps on defense and seven on special teams against the Buffalo Bills.

Heslop is a second-year veteran, who played in three games for the Seattle Seahawks in 2021. The 6-foot-1, 200-pounder recorded one tackle.

To make room for the trio, Carolina released quarterback Jacob Eason, safety Marquise Blair and defensive Delontae Scott from the practice squad.

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Packers elevate S Innis Gaines, OLB Kobe Jones from practice squad to gameday roster for Week 8

The Packers elevated S Innis Gaines and OLB Kobe Jones from the practice squad to the gameday roster for Week 8 against the Bills.

The Green Bay Packers elevated safety Innis Gaines and outside linebacker Kobe Jones from the practice squad to the gameday roster for Week 8. The move was announced Saturday, making Gaines and Jones available for Matt LaFleur and the Packers for Sunday’s showdown with the Buffalo Bills.

This is the first time the Packers have used both available elevations from the practice squad since Week 1.

Gaines and Jones will both be expected to contribute on special teams, while Jones could play meaningful snaps as a backup edge rusher. Last week, La’Darius Hamilton was elevated to the gameday roster and ended up playing  14 snaps on defense and another 11 on special teams.

This is the first elevation of the 2022 season for both Gaines and Jones.

While Rashan Gary is questionable because of a concussion, he practiced in full on Friday and all indications point to him playing Sunday. Jones is an obvious safeguard against Gary’s availability.

Also, Tipa Galeai remains on injured reserve, so the Packers need the body type of an edge rusher on special teams.

The Packers did not elevate a receiver from the practice squad or sign Juwann Winfree, possibly suggesting that rookie Christian Watson will be available to play on Sunday night as well. He is currently questionable after missing the last two games with a hamstring injury.

Jones would make his NFL debut if he plays on Sunday. Gaines, an undrafted free agent from TCU, played in one game for the Packers last season, producing one tackle over five special teams snaps.

All teams are allowed to elevate up to two players from the practice squad each week. An individual player can only be elevated from the practice squad three times per season, so both Gaines and Jones now have only two more elevations available this season. On Monday, both will revert back to the practice squad.

Elevations by week

Week 1: WR Juwann Winfree, S Micah Abernathy
Week 2: RB Patrick Taylor
Week 3: WR Juwann Winfree
Week 4: CB Kiondre Thomas
Week 5: None
Week 6: WR Juwann Winfree
Week 7: OLB La’Darius Hamilton
Week 8: S Innis Gaines, OLB Kobe Jones

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