Panthers Trade for Safety as Rosters Trim to 53 by Tonight

The Carolina Panthers picked up special teams safety Colin Jones from the 9’ers for a 7th-round pick. It’s likely a move to try and help the beleaguered coverage units and a sign the coaching staff is either getting truly worried, desperate, or simply giving up a very modest draft pick to help shore them up.

It’s not exactly a huge thing and I can’t blame GM Marty Hurney for giving up a 7th if Jones can make some plays on special teams this year. If he can, we’ve already got a candidate for a Panthers’ late-round draft steal of 2013.

Here are the cuts the Panthers have made thus far as per Panthers.com

POSPLAYER EXPCOLLEGE
WRSeyi Ajirotutu3Fresno State
CBDarius Butler4Connecticut
WRJared GreenRSouthern
LBDavid Nixon4Brigham Young
DTOgemdi Nwagbuo4Michigan State
RBTauren PooleRTennessee
TMatt ReynoldsRBrigham Young
CBR.J. Stanford2Utah
DERyan Van BergenRMichigan
LBKion Wilson3South Florida

Can’t say I’m surprised with the Darius Butler cut. He’s been disappointing since he was a second-round pick by the New England Patriots a few years ago.

While I was watching the Panthers’ final preseason game last night, I saw Ajirotutu have a perfectly placed pass go through his hands as he would have made the first down on third down early on. I knew he was gone at that point unless he made several other plays. He didn’t.

I think Jared Green will stick someplace. Perhaps the Browns or Dolphins will grab him.

RB Tauren Poole is a casualty of being in a stacked backfield. I think someone will be able to use him and if he clears waivers he could be headed to the practice squad, I’d think. Same with Green, but there’s a good chance neither guy will clear.