Guess who’s reportedly back? Former Minnesota Vikings DE Stephen Weatherly.
Towards the end of his Vikings career, Stephen Weatherly was a useful reserve for a good pass rush.
Weatherly had two consecutive seasons with three sacks — 2018 and 2019. Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen were the main options on the edge, but Weatherly and Ifeadi Odenigbo made it so offensive linemen couldn’t ease up in the absence of a starter.
In 2020, Weatherly ended up signing with the Panthers in free agency, and Minnesota struggled to replace him, Griffen and Hunter. The Vikings pass rush was ranked dead last by PFF.
So it’s not a bad idea for Minnesota to go and re-sign Weatherly and that’s what it did, according to multiplereports and a post Weatherly had on social media.
Weatherly ideally won’t be a starter, but he is solid depth. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reported that it’s a one-year deal.
Weatherly had a chance at a bigger role in Carolina, but it didn’t pan out. Now, he has an opportunity to prove he can still provide pressure. He gets to try and do that with the team that drafted him, too.
Weatherly signed a two-year, $12.5 million deal with Carolina last year around this time.
Former Carolina Panthers defensive end Stephen Weatherly shared a post on Instagram that says he’s re-joining his former team – the Minnesota Vikings – per Alaina Getzenberg at the Charlotte Observer.
Former Panthers DE Stephen Weatherly is re-signing with the Vikings, per a video on his Instagram. Weatherly spent the first four years of his career in Minnesota after the team drafted him. https://t.co/fYsSFGs8jR
Weatherly signed a two-year, $12.5 million deal with Carolina last year around this time. Obviously, things didn’t work out well for him, here. Weatherly never made much of an impact in 2020, totaling zero sacks and just nine pressures in the nine games that he played. He suffered a finger injury in the middle of the year that required surgery, ending his season early.
The Panthers cut Weatherly a couple of weeks ago along with punter Michael Palardy, who spent the whole year on injured reserve after tearing his ACL.
By comparison, Weatherly had much more success in Minnesota the previous couple of years. From 2018-2019 he played all 32 games for the Vikings, totaling six sacks and 17 quarterback hits in a mostly backup role.
The Carolina Panthers have informed free safety Tre Boston that they’re cutting him, according to a report by Adam Schefter at ESPN.
The Carolina Panthers have informed free safety Tre Boston that they’re releasing him, according to a report by Adam Schefter at ESPN. Cutting Boston comes as a bit of a surprise, considering he just signed a three-year, $18 million deal last offseason. He did struggle at times during the 2020 campaign, allowing three touchdowns in coverage and missing 15 tackles (13.6%).
Weatherly was arguably the team’s worst free agent signing of 2020 outside of middle linebacker Tahir Whitehead. He never made a real impact in the nine games he played, totaling just 17 tackles, three quarterback hits, nine pressures and no sacks. A finger injury cut his season short. The Panthers are loaded with young talent on the edge anyway, so cutting Weatherly is no real loss.
Palardy spent the entire 2020 season on injured reserve after he tore his ACL at some point during the offseason. He’s already been replaced by Joseph Charlton, who was an undrafted free agent from South Carolina. He had a very strong rookie season and may be their punter for a long time.
Neither will play again during the 2020 NFL season.
The Carolina Panthers just announced that they have placed both defensive end Stephen Weatherly and running back Reggie Bonnafon on the injured reserve list. Neither will play again during the 2020 NFL season.
Weatherly began the year as the team’s starting defensive end opposite Brian Burns. He never made much of an impact, though. Despite playing 61% of the team’s defensive snaps to date, Weatherly only totaled 17 combined tackles, three quarterback hits and no sacks. He’s still under contract for next season with a base salary of $4.4 milion, according to Over the Cap. Weather’y issue was a finger injury, which required surgery.
As for Bonnafon, he spent most of his abbreviated 2020 season on the team’s practice squad. During the offseason, his role as Christian McCaffrey’s first backup was taken by Mike Davis, who has more than justified that decision. Bonnafon only wound up playing 23 offensive snaps, posting 87 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown catch. Apparently, Bonnafon re-aggravated the high ankle sprain that him on the practice squad injured reserve list earlier in the year.
The players who stand to benefit the most from this news are rookie defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos and running back Trenton Cannon, who will backup Davis on Sunday.
Here is the team’s complete Week 10 injury report.
The Carolina Panthers could be especially thin at two positions this week when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Two running backs have already been ruled out and three defensive ends are listed as questionable.
With McCaffrey and Bonnafon both ruled out, Davis will get the bulk of the work at running back. Apparently, Trenton Cannon will be backing him up. There’s also Alex Armah and Curtis Samuel as rushing options. If the Panthers don’t feel like that’s enough, they might activate undrafted rookie Rodney Smith from the practice squad. During his Zoom presser today, coach Matt Rhule said he’s hopeful McCaffrey can return next week.
As for defensive end, Rhule also said that he anticipates Weatherly will be out for a while. That could mean a much larger role for second-round pick Yetur Gross-Matos, who was activated from the injured reserve list last week but didn’t play much against the Chiefs. His status makes that far from certain, though. With Haynes, Larkin and Gross-Matos all not operating at 100%, the team may have to rely heavily on Efe Obada to play opposite Brian Burns.
At left tackle, at this point it’s a free-for-all. Okung has now missed more games than he’s played and Dennis Daley, Greg Little and Trent Scott could all get snaps regardless of who starts.
Panthers injury updates: Dennis Daley ruled out, 2 others questionable for Sunday’s season opener vs. Raiders.
The Carolina Panthers have wrapped up Friday practice, the last before their first game of the season. A couple players did not participate and one has been ruled out for Sunday’s game.
Here’s the team’s complete Week 1 injury report.
Player
Injury
Wed
Thu
Fri
Status
G Dennis Daley
Ankle
DNP
DNP
DNP
Out
DE Brian Burns
Ankle
Full
Full
Full
–
S Juston Burris
Rib
Full
Full
Full
–
RB Trenton Cannon
Shoulder
Full
Full
Full
–
CB Corn Elder
Hamstring
Full
Full
Full
–
DE Yetur Gross-Matos
Wrist
Full
Full
Full
–
CB Donte Jackson
Toe
Full
Full
Full
–
C Tyler Larsen
Calf
Full
Full
Full
–
OT Greg Little
Ankle
Full
Full
Full
–
OT Taylor Moton
Wrist
Full
Full
Full
–
OT Russell Okung
Ankle
Full
Full
Full
–
CB Troy Pride Jr.
Ankle
Full
Full
Full
–
WR Curtis Samuel
Hamstring
Full
Full
Full
–
DT Kawann Short
Shoulder
Full
Full
Full
–
TE Ian Thomas
Toe
Full
Full
Full
–
CB Stantley Thomas-Oliver
Hamstring
Full
Limited
Limted
Questionable
LB Shaq Thompson
Groin
Full
Full
Full
–
DE Stephen Weatherly
Hamstring
Full
Full
Limited
Questionable
LB Tahir Whitehead
Groin
Full
Full
Full
–
OT Trenton Scott
Knee
–
Full
Full
–
WR Brandon Zylstra
Calf
–
Full
Full
–
LB Adarius Taylor
Not injury related
–
–
DNP
–
Coach Matt Rhule has confirmed that Michael Schofield will start at left guard instead of Daley. He has started 66 games in his career, including every week over the last two seasons for the Chargers.
If Weatherly is unable to play, we’ll expect to see more snaps for Marquis Haynes.
Panthers injury updates: 5 players not participating in last practice before roster cuts.
The Panthers are holding one more practice before rosters have to be cut down for the regular season tomorrow. The team is currently holding another scrimmage at Bank of America Stadium. A couple of key players are not participating, though.
According to the Charlotte Observer, linebacker Shaq Thompson, tight end Ian Thomas, cornerback Eli Apple, defensive end Stephen Weatherly and wide receiver Keith Kirkwood are all out.
Ian Thomas (toe) and Eli Apple (hamstring) are out here in red jerseys. Apple had been out of a red jersey earlier this week.
Looks like Shaq Thompson and Stephen Weatherly won’t be participating today. WR Keith Kirkwood (broken clavicle) here stretching to the side.
Thompson has been dealing with groin tightness for the last couple of weeks. When he has practiced, he’s been limited. The team has maintained that it’s nothing serious and Thompson would likely be in the lineup if there was a real game today.
As for Thomas, he has a hyperextended toe. Coach Matt Rhule has said this is also no big deal and they expect him back at practice soon.
Apple has a tight hamstring which has had him out for a few days and Weatherly is dealing with what the Panthers are calling “a minor injury.” Finally, Kirkwood is still sidelined by a broken clavicle. Rhule told reporters yesterday he’s a couple weeks away from returning.
We won’t get our first official injury report of 2020 until the Wednesday after next, so hopefully more information will be available before then.
Panthers injury updates: Stephen Weatherly, Keith Kirkwood.
The Carolina Panthers had several players return to practice today after sitting out on Tuesday. Center Matt Paradis, linebacker Shaq Thompson and defensive tackle Zach Kerr were all back in action today.
Defensive end Stephen Weatherly did not participate, though. Neither did tight end Ian Thomas.
Panthers DNP – Stephen Weatherly, Ian Thomas.
Matt Paradis, Shaq Thompson and Zach Kerr were back after missing Tuesday. WR Keith Kirkwood on field in red jersey doing light work for 1st time since breaking his collarbone.
There’s no word yet on what’s up with Weatherly. We are projecting he will start opposite Brian Burns on the other side of the defensive line at least at the outset of the season, so he’s not someone they can afford to lose right now.
Wide receiver Keith Kirkwood is making some progress as he recovers from a broken clavicle. He was spotted wearing a red jersey but it’s the first time he’s been on the practice field since the injury happened.
The most prominent battle features two players on the defensive line: noted veteran Stephen Weatherly and rookie Yetur Gross-Matos.
While the Panthers offense features an exciting new group of players, the biggest concern for Carolina comes on the other side of the ball. Not only is the team on track to have the youngest defense in the last decade, but the unit was also ranked last in the league after losing Luke Kuechly to retirement this offseason and several other veterans to free agency.
One of Carolina’s starting defensive ends, Brian Burns, has impressed fans and coaches with his second-year improvement, acting as a rare cause for excitement for this unit. At training camp, the most prominent battle for the defensive line features a veteran and a rookie to decide who will start on the opposite side of Burns.
Stephen Weatherly
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Weatherly (6-foot-5, 265 pounds) is a five-year veteran in the NFL, formerly playing with the Minnesota Vikings from 2016 to 2019. This offseason, he signed a two-year deal with Carolina worth about $12.5 million, adding another unfamiliar face to a team filled with the most new players in the league. Weatherly didn’t stay unknown for long, though, impressing fans with his many quirks and high praise for teammates like Burns, who compared him to Danielle Hunter.
After being picked in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL draft, Weatherly has surpassed expectations, growing into a reliable defensive end off the bench for Minnesota. In his four seasons with the Vikings, Weatherly only totaled 67 tackles, 17 quarterback hits, and six sacks, but he was renowned for his ability to thwart the rushing game, something Carolina has struggled with in recent years.
Weatherly is counting on increased playing time to prove his worth to the Panthers, while the front office hopes he will be worth the money. For what it’s worth, Pro Football Focus projects that Weatherly will edge out Gross-Matos for the starting job, at least to start off the season. Especially in a year without a preseason and with such a young offense, it makes sense to rely on Weatherly’s experience and knowledge to guide the team into a new era.
That’s some high praise, as Hunter is one of the league’s elite edge defenders in a era that is flooded with them.
The most common pro comp for Carolina Panthers defensive end Brian Burns coming into the NFL last year was Von Miller, even if he is a somewhat lankier and less-polished version of the Denver Broncos’ star pass-rusher.
Carolina’s new five-year veteran defensive end Stephen Weatherly has a different comparison, though. Speaking with the media today on Zoom, Weatherly called Burns’ body control “freakish” like that of his former Minnesota Vikings teammate Danielle Hunter.
That’s some high praise, as Hunter is one of the league’s elite edge defenders in a era that is flooded with them. In addition to two Pro Bowl trips, Hunter has posted 54.5 sacks, 80 quarterback hits, 67 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles since he was selected by Minnesota in the third round of the 2015 draft.
Carolina would probably be satisfied with that kind of production from Burns over the next four years. His ceiling is higher, though.
