5 players who should make the Panthers practice squad if released

Omar Bayless – Carolina Panthers WR

There was a real sense of anticipation to see Omar Bayless back out on the field this summer. The wide receiver emerged as a training camp star in 2020 before a serious knee injury denied the undrafted free agent a surprising roster spot, so how he responded to adversity was something to monitor closely at training camp.

Bayless certainly hit the ground running. His ability to create separation during team drills was notable, bringing plenty of memorable moments along the way at Wofford College in Spartanburg.

The former Arkansas State standout got his first real taste of an NFL environment during the preseason. But he wasn’t nearly as involved as many expected and now faces an uncertain future with the Carolina Panthers.

Couple this with a stacked wide receiver room despite the injury to Shi Smith, and it’s not hard to see why Bayless might be on the outside looking in by Tuesday.

If this scenario comes to fruition, then another team could look at Bayless’ outstanding production over the last two camps and decide he’s a chance worth taking in 2021.

He’ll need to clear waivers, obviously. But the player appears a likely candidate for the practice squad to further develop his skills in pursuit of a roster position somewhere down the line.