Tag: Mike Panasiuk

Colts reportedly waiving OL Mike Panasiuk in midst of roster cuts

With roster cuts taking place, the Colts are reportedly waiving center Mike Panasiuk. Here is what you need to know.

In the midst of roster cuts, the Indianapolis Colts are reportedly waiving offensive lineman Mike Panasiuk, according to Joel Erickson of the Indy Star.

Erickson adds that Panasiuk could be a practice squad possibility for the Colts.

League-wide, all teams have to trim their rosters to 53 players by 4:00 PM ET on Tuesday. Panasiuk will go onto waivers, and if unclaimed, he will become a free agent who can sign with any team.

The Colts had signed Panasiuk prior to their joint practice and preseason finale with the Cincinnati Bengals to bolster their offensive line depth. In the previous preseason game against Arizona, Tanor Bortolini had suffered a toe injury. Shane Steichen doesn’t expect Bortolini to miss extended time, but he will miss some.

Panasiuk played 13 snaps against the Bengals, all of which came at center. He didn’t allow any pressures in pass protection and finished with a run-blocking grade from PFF of 50.6.

Panasiuk, who went undrafted in 2020 where he was an All-Big Ten defensive lineman at Michigan State, has spent the last two Springs playing in the XFL in 2023 and the UFL in 2024. He would make the All-XFL and All-UFL teams in each respective season at the center position.

The Colts have now reportedly made 14 cuts, which means they still have 24 to go.

Colts’ bolster interior OL depth, announce signing of All-UFL center Mike Panasiuk

With some injuries along the interior OL, the Colts bolster their depth inside by signing All-UFL center Mike Panasiuk.

The Indianapolis Colts are bolstering their interior offensive line depth, announcing that they’ve signed Mike Panasiuk, who most recently played in the UFL.

Panasiuk went undrafted in 2020 after playing his college ball at Michigan State, where he was an All-Big Ten defensive lineman before converting to the offensive side of the ball.

Panasiuk doesn’t have any regular season NFL snaps, but has previously spent time with the Carolina Panthers, and recently worked out with the Denver Broncos before being signed by the Colts.

This past spring in the UFL with the St. Louis Battlehawks, Panasiuk was named a first-team center was a part of the All-UFL team as well. In 2023, Panasiuk was also named to the All-XFL team at center as well.

The addition of Panasiuk provides the Colts with some needed interior offensive line depth on a short week. During Saturday’s preseason game with the Arizona Cardinals, Josh Sills would exit the game with an ankle injury and Tanor Bortolini with a toe injury.

After the game, Bortolini said that he didn’t expect the toe injury to keep him out too long, but as of now, we do not know if Bortolini will miss any time or how much time he might miss.

The Colts also announced that they signed linebacker Mike Smith Jr. As corresponding roster moves, the Colts waived/injured Josh Sills and placed center Ryan Coll on IR.

Following Saturday’s preseason contest, it is a quick turnaround for the Colts, who will travel to Cincinnati for a joint practice on Tuesday before playing their preseason finale there on Thursday.

Former Michigan State football DL signs with Indianapolis Colts

A former Michigan State DL signs with the Indianapolis Colts as an OL

Former Michigan State defensive lineman Mike Panasiuk has found a new home in the National Football League. Panasiuk is signing with the Indianapolis Colts per MLFootball’s reporting.

Panasiuk was a star with the St. Louis Battlehawks in the UFL, which he has parlayed into a second stint in the NFL. He spent time with the Carolina Panthers. Since turning professional, Panasiuk transitioned from defensive to offensive line.

From 2016-2019, Panasiuk recorded 100 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 4 sacks and 2 interceptions in his Michigan State career.

At 6 feet, 3 inches and 300 pounds and with the movement he possessed on the defensive line, Panasiuk provides versatility on the offensive line.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on X @Cory_Linsner

3 offensive linemen worked out for the Broncos on Thursday

Offensive linemen Aaron Monteiro, Mike Novitsky and Mike Panasiuk worked out for the Broncos on Thursday.

The Denver Broncos brought in three offensive linemen for workouts on Thursday, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

Denver brought in tackle Aaron Monteiro, center Mike Novitsky and guard Mike Panasiuk.

Monteiro (6-6, 315 pounds) played college football at Boston College, earning third-team All-ACC recognition as a senior in 2018. He has spent time with the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders, but he has never played in a regular-season game.

Novitsky (6-5, 295 pounds) played college football at Buffalo and Kansas. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks in April and he was waived earlier this month.

Panasiuk (6-4, 300 pounds) played college football at Michigan State. He has spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders and Panthers but has only ever played in preseason games.

Elsewhere in the NFL, former Broncos wide receiver Trinty Benson and linebacker Justin Hollins worked out for the Commanders earlier this week. Hollins also worked out for the Indianapolis Colts.

Denver seems to be looking for more depth on the offensive line going into Week 2 of NFL preseason. We’ll track any potential signings on Broncos Wire.

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Former Spartan Mike Panasiuk gets invite to Steelers mini-camp after stellar XFL season

A former Spartan is getting another crack at the NFL

A former Spartan is getting another crack at the NFL.

Mike Panasiuk has received an invite to the Pittsburgh Steelers mini-camp after a stellar season in the XFL this year. Panasiuk was a defensive lineman while at Michigan State but has since switched to the other side of the ball and is playing center.

Panasiuk starred for the St. Louis Battlehawks in the rebooted XFL this spring, and was named to the All-XFL team. Panasiuk last appeared in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers and Las Vegas Raiders on their practice squads in 2020.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on Twitter @RobertBondy5.

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Former Michigan State football players in the XFL for 2023 reboot

Check out which Spartans will be playing in the 2023 reboot of the XFL:

The XFL has rebooted and started a new season. The professional football league now under the control of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson looks to gain popularity and success in its 2023 reboot.

The XFL will provide many players the opportunity to continue playing pro football and potentially earn an NFL contract. Several Michigan State football alumni are looking to jump-start or reboot their professional football careers with the new league.

Check out which former Spartans are playing in the new reboot of the XFL:

Panthers who benefited most from Tuesday’s roster cutdown

As six are headed out, which Panthers are now headed up after Tuesday’s roster adjustments?

The Carolina Panthers did some shaving down just ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline in order to hit the league’s mandated 85-man roster limit. In fact, they even got down to 84 just for good measure.

Ok, maybe not for “good measure,” but for good reason, as the season-ending injury to cornerback Troy Pride Jr. was a departure that was perhaps a bit premature. He and five others, as of now, are no longer active members of roster and, as weird is it may be to lay this down, that helps out a few men who are still around.

Panthers waive/injure OL Matt Kaskey

OL Matt Kaskey was the sixth player to be taken off the Panthers’ roster on Tuesday.

If you thought the Carolina Panthers were done cleaning up the roster on Tuesday after maneuvering around the required five players, well, you were wrong. There was, unfortunately, a sixth—offensive lineman Matt Kaskey.

Carolina has announced they have waived/injured Kaskey, who sustained a foot injury in Sunday’s preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts. He did not return to the game and, according to head coach Matt Rhule, was likely not ready to hit the field again for this week’s activities leading to Saturday’s matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.

Kaskey spent much of 2020 on Carolina’s practice squad. He was called up to the active roster during the season’s final weeks and appeared in just one game.

He joins fellow offensive linemen Greg Little (traded) and Mike Panasiuk (waived/injured), linebacker Nate Hall (waived/injured), cornerback Troy Pride Jr. (injured reserve) and fullback Rod Smith (released) as the players removed from the team’s roster on Tuesday.

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Panthers place CB Troy Pride Jr. on IR, part with 3 others

In addition to the trade of OT Greg Little, the Panthers maneuvered around four other players to reach Tuesday’s 85-man roster limit.

As unfortunate as this side of the business can be, five players were headed to the chopping block for the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday afternoon. What’s even more unfortunate is that one of them has come as a result of a crushing injury.

During their cutdown to the 85-man roster limit, the Panthers announced they have placed cornerback Troy Pride Jr. on the injured reserve. Pride Jr. sustained a knee injury late in Sunday’s preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts and was carted off into the locker room.

The 23-year-old defender was drafted by the team in the fourth round of the 2020 draft. He started in eight of his 14 games played as a rookie last season, totaling 41 tackles and a pair of pass deflections.

Pride Jr.’s spot on the roster was already in jeopardy, even prior to the injury. With Carolina boasting a sudden crop of solid depth at cornerback, teammates Keith Taylor and Stantley Thomas-Oliver III were presumed as favorites to knock off Pride Jr. on the depth chart.

The Panthers also released fullback Rod Smith, who they had signed less than two weeks ago, and waived/injured the duo of center Mike Panasiuk and linebacker Nate Hall.

Offensive tackle Greg Little was served his walking papers as well, with the team announcing a trade of the 2019 second-round pick to the Miami Dolphins at the head of this Tuesday wave of departures.

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Former Michigan State DT Mike Panasiuk signs with Carolina Panthers practice squad

Former Michigan State defensive tackle Mike Panasiuk has signed with the Carolina Panthers practice squad after being cut by the Raiders.

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The last we had heard from former Michigan State defensive tackle Mike Panasiuk, he had just been cut by the Las Vegas Raiders in the last week of their August camp. MSU fans received some good news about the former Spartan late on Wednesday night when his high school coach Chris Roll tweeted that he has now been signed by the Carolina Panthers.

Panasiuk had originally signed with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent back in April. Before that, he scored one of the more exciting touchdowns in the Pinstripe Bowl, which you can relive here.

Here is the tweet from Panasiuk and Chris Roll announcing the signing:

Not bad for a player who came into East Lansing as an unheralded 3-star recruit.

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