The Carolina Panthers have added much-needed help to their injury-depleted secondary, signing former Las Vegas Raiders and Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Jakorian Bennett to their practice squad.
Bennett, a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has appeared in 35 career games with 12 starts, recording 65 tackles and 12 pass breakups.
Philadelphia waived the 26-year-old earlier this week after injuries and limited playing time derailed what was once a promising start to his NFL career.
Jakorian Bennett can play, but the Carolina Panthers must keep him healthy
Now, Bennett gets a fresh start in Carolina, and his previous production with the Raiders suggests he could bring more to the Panthers than just additional depth.
Bennett's career hasn't exactly gone according to plan since his promising 2024 campaign.
The Raiders traded him to Philadelphia in August 2025 in exchange for defensive lineman Thomas Booker IV. He appeared in 11 games for the Eagles last season, recording just seven tackles and one pass breakup while dealing with a pectoral injury.
Things didn't improve in 2026. Bennett suffered a knee injury during training camp and landed on injured reserve before the regular season.
The Eagles eventually gave up on this experiment, ending his time in Philadelphia with no appearances this season.
There's certainly risk here, especially given his recent injury history. But Bennett has already shown he can hold his own against NFL receivers, and at 26, he still has time to get his career back on track.
Jakorian Bennett can ease Carolina Panthers injury problems at cornerback
The Panthers' secondary has been dealing with one injury after another, which explains why they keep adding cornerbacks.
Starting corners Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson Sr. both landed on injured reserve in late September after suffering quad and groin injuries. The situation worsened when Akayleb Evans landed on injured reserve in late October, and rookie Will Lee III has also been dealing with a hamstring injury.
With so many injuries at the position, Bennett could eventually work his way into a meaningful role and get some starting snaps. But first, the defensive back must prove he's healthy and can quickly pick up the defensive scheme.
And honestly, his 2024 numbers make him one of the more interesting additions Carolina has made to its secondary in recent weeks.
Now, Bennett was available in November for a reason. He's coming off a knee injury, hasn't played a regular-season snap this year, and couldn't carve out a consistent role in Philadelphia.
But Carolina isn't asking him to become a starting cornerback immediately, either. For now, we’ll see how he looks on the practice squad.
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