4 Carolina Panthers on the roster bubble heading into 2023 Preseason Week 2
By Dean Jones
Bumper Pool - Carolina Panthers LB
After being written off throughout his football journey, Bumper Pool fulfilled a lifelong dream by taking an NFL field for the Carolina Panthers last Saturday. The undersized linebacker went undrafted despite carving out a decent college career for himself at Arkansas, which clearly provided the momentum needed to maximize the opportunity when general manager Scott Fitterer came calling.
Pool might have a hard time making the 53-man roster looking at the Panthers' current linebacking options and their decision to sign veteran free-agent Deion Jones. However, he was one of the few players to emerge from their last game with any credit and didn't look out of place whatsoever.
It's a step in the right direction if nothing else for Pool. This was always going to be a gradual process for the second-level presence, who can also be an asset on special teams when called upon to further enhance his influence.
That said, Pool remains firmly on the roster bubble. He might even be a little lower than that upon further examination, but he's been given no shot up to now and is going to give it everything during whatever reps come his way at MetLife Stadium.
Pool is a hard guy to root against. But a place on the practice squad remains the most likely outcome where the rookie is concerned.