Falling victim to the dreaded chop on cut-down day was not ideal for those who worked so tirelessly to make the Carolina Panthers' roster this summer. But general manager Dan Morgan was always going to give some a reprieve on the practice squad once the waiver claims had been processed.
This keeps their foot in the door. It allows them to continue their development and potentially get called up to the active roster if head coach Dave Canales and his staff are suitably impressed. Not everyone will come along for the ride, and there was always a chance Morgan would take a chance on players who impressed elsewhere without quite doing enough to make squads.
If the Panthers want to progress as Canales hopes in 2025, it must be a collective effort. Everyone on the 53-man team must make a lasting contribution. When injuries strike or matchups are favorable, practice squad players will step into the breach. They must be ready at all times, because nobody knows for sure when their number will be called.
These are all subject to change, especially considering how Morgan goes about his business with such aggression, but here is the reported list of practice squad players in Carolina as things stand.
Reported players for the Carolina Panthers practice squad in 2025
- Hendon Hooker — QB
- DeeJay Dallas — RB
- Shemar Bartholomew — CB
- Kalen King — CB
- Ainias Smith — WR/KR
- Trevian Thomas — DB
- Ja'Tyre Carter — OL
- Krys Barnes — LB
- Boogie Basham — OLB
- Jared Harrison-Hunte — DL
- Jarrett Kingston — OL
- Maz Mwansa — LB (International)
- Bryce Pierre — TE
- Ja'seem Reed — WR
- Mike Reid — CB
- Sam Roberts — DL
- Mike Tarquin — OT
- Brandon Walton — OL
There's been a focus on new faces, for the most part. The Panthers stood pat for most of the summer, giving everyone a fair chance to stake a claim. The fact that so many outsiders are securing practice squad places tells fans all they need to know about how previous members of the roster performed.
All the pieces are now in place. One couldn't dismiss the prospect of more arrivals, and the recently waived Jaden Crumedy could come back onto the practice squad at the expense of someone else, but this will be the majority of Carolina's group for the new campaign.
Hopefully, they'll be up to the challenge.