3 shocking Carolina Panthers cut candidates emerging from 2024 training camp
By Dean Jones
Jaden Crumedy - Carolina Panthers DL
The Carolina Panthers aren't harboring any favoritism or sentiment to their roster decisions under the new regime. Places will be earned and not handed out based on previous production or reputations. Anyone not pulling their weight or failing to raise performance levels accordingly will be demoted. They could even be released entirely.
That sounds harsh, but it's the only way Dan Morgan can get this franchise off its knees and back into contention over time. The old pals' act under previous decision-makers is gone, replaced by a professional model more in keeping with successful organizations around the league. After so much mismanagement in recent years, this approach is a breath of fresh air.
Late-round draft picks go through the same struggles as undrafted free agents. They are starting from the bottom up and must claw with everything in their power to get noticed. That's the task awaiting Jaden Crumedy on a defensive front that's got a couple of emerging pieces trying to do the same.
Crumedy was the No. 200 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Mississippi State. He was projected as a development project that could potentially occupy rotational reps over time. It's been a modest start to life in Carolina, which isn't entirely unexpected considering the refinement needed from a technical standpoint.
There's a lot to like about the defensive lineman's explosion to the contact point and overall athleticism. However, the likes of Nick Thurman and T.J. Smith have come to the fore over camp practices. Much will depend on how many 3-4 defensive linemen Carolina opts to carry through onto their 53-man roster, but Crumedy's situation is precarious until further notice.
It would be shocking if the Panthers gave up on Crumedy just a few short months into his NFL journey. Watching his progress closely over Carolina's final two preseason games is crucial - something that might determine whether he's on the roster when Week 1 at the New Orleans Saints rolls around.