Tag: Nick Thurman

Panthers waive player from active roster, sign 2 others to practice squad

The Panthers announced they have waived DL Nick Thurman, who played in every game for the team over the last two seasons.

The Carolina Panthers opened up another spot on their active roster ahead of the Week 10 matchup against the New York Giants.

As announced this morning, the team has waived defensive lineman Nick Thurman. The 29-year-old defender played in all 17 of the team’s games in 2023 and all nine of their games this season.

Thurman joined the Panthers in July of 2023. He’d go on to amass 31 total tackles (two for a loss) and a quarterback hit in his first campaign for Carolina.

2024 has seen the 6-foot-4, 305-pounder record four starts over his nine outings.

With Thurman’s departure, the Panthers now have four vacancies on their active roster.

Carolina also made a pair of additions to their practice squad, as they signed wide receiver Cam Johnson and safety Alex Cook.

Johnson, an undrafted rookie out of Northwestern University, spent the offseason with the Dallas Cowboys before being waived in August.

Cook appeared in 10 games for the Panthers in 2023 and was already a member of this year’s practice squad prior to his release on Oct. 8.

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Initial 53-man roster projection for the 2024 Panthers

Here is our final projection for the Panthers’ initial 2024 53-man roster:

Now that the preseason is officially in the books, the Carolina Panthers have another task to tackle—the big cutdown.

Between now and 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the Panthers and the rest of the NFL’s 31 teams must get down to their initial 53-player rosters.

Here is our final projection for Carolina’s initial 53:

Quarterbacks (2)

In: Bryce Young, Andy Dalton
Out: Jack Plummer

Plummer impressed in the summer finale, completing 21 of his 29 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns. But that still won’t be enough to devote a third spot on the roster to a quarterback.

Running backs (4)

In: Chuba Hubbard, Miles Sanders, Raheem Blackshear, Mike Boone
Out: Jaden Shirden
Reserve/NFI list: Jonathon Brooks

Boone has benefitted from the inactivity of both Blackshear and Brooks, who isn’t expected back for at least a handful of weeks into the regular season. And luckily for the former, his successful track record as a kick returner keeps him around.

Wide receivers (6)

In: Diontae Johnson, Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette, Jonathan Mingo, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, David Moore
Out: Terrace Marshall Jr., Michael Strachan, Jalen Coker, Sam Pinckney

The sixth and final spot came down to Marshall Jr. and Moore. Moore’s experience on special teams and his previous history with head coach Dave Canales in both Seattle and Tampa Bay give him the edge.

Tight ends (4)

In: Tommy Tremble, Ian Thomas, Ja’Tavion Sanders, Jordan Matthews
Out: Feleipe Franks, Jacob Hollister, Jesper Horsted

Matthews earned his spot with a spectacular summer. The 32-year-old opened the preseason with a team-high 48 receiving yards in New England and ended it with a touchdown to kick off the last outing in Buffalo.

Offensive linemen (9)

In: Ikem Ekwonu, Damien Lewis, Austin Corbett, Robert Hunt, Taylor Moton, Brady Christensen, Yosh Nijman, Cade Mays, Chandler Zavala
Out: Ricky Lee, Jeremiah Crawford, Mason Brooks, Andrew Raym, Jack Anderson, Ike Boettger, Tyler Smith

Given that he’s the only true center on the roster, Raym has a shot to stick on. But the versatility of backups such as Nijman, Christensen and Mays allows the Panthers to keep the number of hog mollies at nine.

Defensive linemen (5)

In: Derrick Brown, A’Shawn Robinson, Shy Tuttle, Nick Thurman, LaBryan Ray
Out: Jaden Crumedy, T.J. Smith, Ulomoo Ale, Jayden Peevy, Walter Palmore, Junior Aho

Crumedy, the team’s sixth-round selection from this spring, could be in trouble while dealing a high-ankle sprain. So could Smith, who’d be a favorite to sneak back on as a practice squad member after recording a pair of sacks this preseason.

Outside linebackers (5)

In: Jadeveon Clowney, K’Lavon Chaisson, DJ Johnson, Eku Leota, Luiji Vilain
Out: Cam Gill, Derrick McLendon, Kenny Dyson
Reserve/Physically unable to perform list: D.J. Wonnum, Amaré Barno

Vilain and Gill could be battling for the fifth locker. But if it actually doesn’t go to either, look for the Panthers to pick up a pass rusher off the street.

Inside linebackers (4)

In: Shaq Thompson, Josey Jewell, Trevin Wallace, Claudin Cherelus
Out: Chandler Wooten, Tae Davis, Aaron Beasley

Canales does not take special teams prowess for granted. Cherelus and Wooten could claim spots with theirs.

Cornerbacks (6)

In: Jaycee Horn, Michael Jackson, Troy Hill, Chau Smith-Wade, Dicaprio Bootle, D’Shawn Jamison
Out: Willie Drew, Chris Wilcox, Quandre Mosely
Injured: Dane Jackson

The “significant” hamstring injury to Jackson (Dane, that is) could force the Panthers to keep a few outside options—including both Bootle and Jamison.

Safeties (5)

In: Xavier Woods, Jordan Fuller, Nick Scott, Jammie Robinson, Alex Cook
Out: Demani Richardson, Rudy Ford
Injured: Sam Franklin Jr.

As Canales has stated, there’s no replacing Franklin Jr.—who will be out for quite a bit while healing up a broken foot. Cook, however, could give the Panthers a little bit back on special teams.

Specialists (3)

In: Eddy Piñeiro, Johnny Hekker, JJ Jansen

Well, nothing to see here.

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Panthers sign 3 of their own free agents

The Panthers signed three players to one-year extensions on Monday.

Firing general manager Scott Fitterer didn’t stop the Carolina Panthers from making some roster moves on Monday.

As announced this afternoon, the team has signed tight end Stephen Sullivan and defensive linemen Nick Thurman and LaBryan Ray to one-year extensions.

Sullivan, who was slated to be a restricted free agent this spring, recorded career-highs in offensive snaps (170) and special teams snaps (185) in 2023. He also notched bests in targets (24), receptions (12) and receiving yards (125).

Thurman and Ray, exclusive rights free agents, will also be returning off the heels of their most productive pro campaigns. Both appeared in each of the Panthers’ 17 games.

Ray registered his first career start in the Week 14 loss to the New Orleans Saints. He finished the year with 19 combined tackles, three of which came in yesterday’s finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Thurman, who played in 34.9 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, ranked eighth on the unit in stops (16).

With the trio inking back on, the Panthers now have two remaining restricted free agents (wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette and tight end Giovanni Ricci) and one remaining exclusive rights free agent (running back Raheem Blackshear).

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2024 free agents who may be playing their final game for the Panthers in Week 18

Week 18 may mark the end of an era for a few Carolina Panthers players.

Sunday will not only represent the end of a brutal 2023 season for the Carolina Panthers, but it may also mark the end of a few eras.

Here are 23 pending free agents who could be playing their last game for the Panthers in Week 18:

*List excludes pending free agents who are on the practice squad, who are on injured reserve and who have been ruled out

Best and worst PFF grades from Panthers’ Week 5 loss to Lions

Through five games, Adam Thielen now has four top-two finishes in offensive PFF grading for the Panthers.

It’s difficult to highlight the positive amongst all the negative that the Carolina Panthers have experienced this season—and it definitely didn’t get much easier after Sunday’s loss to the Detroit Lions. But if you’re strictly an Adam Thielen fan, then welcome back to the party!

In what’s almost become a weekly celebration of the 33-year-old wideout, let’s take a look at the best and worst Pro Football Focus grades for the Panthers from Week 5:

8 Panthers get new uniform numbers on Wednesday

Eight players on the Panthers’ active roster donned new digits on Wednesday.

While we were busy putting much of our attention on Brian Burns and his fellow team captains, quite a few Carolina Panthers debuted some new digits on Wednesday.

Here are the uniform number updates for eight of the active roster’s players:

Panthers waive 2 players to make room for Deion Jones, Nick Thurman

To clear out roster spots for Deion Jones and Nick Thurman, the Panthers waived John Penisini and Aaron Mosby ahead of Tuesday’s practice.

The Carolina Panthers officially announced three additions on Monday, but only had room for one. So, they had to make room before heading out for practice this morning.

To clear way for linebacker Deion Jones and defensive lineman Nick Thurman on the 90-man roster, the Panthers waived linebacker Aaron Mosby and defensive lineman John Penisini.

Penisini, who started training camp on the physically unable to perform list after not being able to hit the field for organized team activities earlier this offseason, was waived with a failed physical designation. The 25-year-old returned to the NFL this spring, on a one-year deal with Carolina, following his retirement in June of 2022.

The 6-foot-2, 335-pounder played the 2021 season under Panthers defensive line coach Todd Wash in Detroit. Penisini logged a total of two seasons for the Lions, recording 49 combined tackles and 12 starts over 32 games.

Mosby initially joined the Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He appeared in three games this past season.

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Panthers signing DL Nick Thurman

The Panthers are signing former Patriots DL Nick Thurman.

Deion Jones isn’t the only former NFC South foe flocking over to Spartanburg, S.C. on Monday.

Per his agent Sean Stellato, defensive lineman Nick Thurman is signing with the Carolina Panthers.

Thurman, a Dallas, Texas native, played his college ball at the University of Houston from 2014 to 2017. There, he amassed 93 total tackles (16.0 for a loss), 4.5 sacks, a pair of fumble recoveries and four passes defensed over 34 games.

The 6-foot-4, 305-pounder broke into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Houston Texans in 2018. He was later waived prior to the start of the regular season on Sept. 1.

After a very brief offseason stop with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Thurman found a more stable home as a New England Patriot in 2019. He spent three years under head coach Bill Belichick, appearing in seven games during the 2020 campaign.

Thurman since picked up short stints with the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars.

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Jaguars add former Falcons DL Nick Thurman to practice squad

The Jaguars added a little defensive line help after the Titans snagged Mario Edwards Jr.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are adding defensive lineman Nick Thurman to their practice squad, the team announced Tuesday.

Thurman, 27, first joined in the NFL in 2018 as an undrafted free agent who signed with the Houston Texans. He later had a brief stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before spending the 2019 season on the New England Patriots’ practice squad and bouncing between the Patriots’ active roster and practice squad throughout the 2020 season.

He spent most of the 2021 season on the Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad, but was cut by the team just before the start of the 2022 season.

Thurman has appeared in eight NFL games and made 11 tackles with one tackle for loss.

The Jaguars had an open spot on the practice squad after the Tennessee Titans scooped up defensive lineman Mario Edwards Jr. on Monday.