The Carolina Panthers claimed offensive lineman Corey Bullock off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens. To make room, they waived guard Chandler Zavala.
And even though they brought Zavala back onto the practice squad, his long-term hopes with the franchise are in tatters.
Zavala was a fourth-round pick in 2023, making this more than just another end-of-roster transaction. Carolina has officially decided it is better off giving his roster spot to a player who has barely played in the NFL.
Chandler Zavala handed token lifeline after Carolina Panthers make their feelings clear
It’s a sad ending on the active roster — for now, at least — for someone who actually got a pretty good chance to establish himself in Carolina.
As a rookie in 2023, he played 54 percent of the Panthers' offensive snaps and started seven of the 10 games he appeared in. Zavala was thrown into the fire way before he was ready, and the results spoke for themselves.
During the 2024 campaign, Zavala was healthy for all 17 games but played only 19% of Carolina's offensive snaps and started twice. The additions of Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis pushed him to the fringes, which was the only desired course of action.
Last year he got another opportunity, starting five of the seven games he played. However, Zavala still finished the season with only 46% of the team's offensive snaps.
Eventually, Carolina reached the point where his draft status no longer mattered. Zavala's lackluster preseason led to his removal from the roster. And now, he'll attempt to salvage his time in Carolina on the practice squad.
That's probably the biggest takeaway from the move. A fourth-round pick from three years ago is now expendable because the Panthers don't appear to believe his potential is worth keeping ahead of another young offensive lineman.
Carolina Panthers have now given Chandler Zavala a mountain to climb
Players have come back from worse setbacks, but in Zavala's case, it seems unlikely.
The player taking Zavala's spot is an interesting choice.
Bullock went undrafted out of North Carolina Central and Maryland, spending the 2024 season on Baltimore's practice squad. He played in all 16 games for the Ravens last season, but his actual offensive experience was limited to 13 snaps. He also played 55 special teams snaps.
This isn't a case of Carolina replacing Zavala with some proven veteran. The Panthers are choosing another developmental player.
Bullock is listed at 6-foot-3 and 325 pounds. Carolina's official announcement described him as another offensive line addition. The Panthers clearly believe there is something worth developing there, whether that's his versatility, his potential at center, or simply the opportunity to work with him before the regular season begins.
It also gives fans a pretty clear picture of how the Panthers view their offensive line heading into the season. They aren't keeping players around simply because they drafted them.
They had three years to figure out what Zavala could become. Now they're giving his roster spot to someone else and making him earn it all over again on the practice squad.
And if Bullock develops into a useful piece, this move could end up looking less like a surprising cut and more like Carolina correctly recognizing that it was time to move on.
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