5 Carolina Panthers who could get cut without playing a snap in 2024
By Dean Jones
Jaden Crumedy - Carolina Panthers DL
Every rookie has a chance to prove themselves under new head coach Dave Canales in 2024. They are starting with a clean slate and can force their way into the Carolina Panthers' plans, but it's a fine line between success and failure for those further down the pecking order.
Late-round selections are in the same boat as undrafted free agents. They are starting from the bottom up and can be easily disposed of from a financial standpoint if things don't go according to plan. There are countless examples around the league of Day 3 selections being cast aside without being given the right time to develop, so the pressure is on in no uncertain terms.
Jaden Crumedy was taken No. 200 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft to bolster depth along the defensive line. He's got plenty of college starting experience at Mississippi State and boasts the intangibles to develop into something more. If everything clicks and he responds well to coaching, there's a good chance to make the team and become an integral rotational piece behind the starting unit.
The Panthers have Nick Thurman, LaBryan Ray, and others also vying for depth chart standing. Crumedy will get every opportunity to showcase his abilities, but the rookie cannot start on the backfoot when preparations get more intense in the weeks and months ahead.
Crumedy needs to work on his pass-rushing prowess to feature heavily in Ejiro Evero's scheme. His length and explosiveness are enough to suggest progress can arrive quickly, but some technical flaws must be eradicated before confidence increases about his chances of carving out a successful career for himself.
If Crumedy cannot impose himself and the likes of Thurman and Ray build on the momentum accumulated during the 2023 season, the Panthers might take drastic action. Stashing him on the practice squad is a possibility in this scenario, but it would be desperately troubling nonetheless.