Which players could the Carolina Panthers potentially pick up via the waiver wire once final roster cuts are confirmed around the league?
The Carolina Panthers are currently in the process of trimming their roster down to 53 players before Tuesday's deadline. But as we all know, the initial roster might not be the one that features in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons.
General manager Scott Fitterer is renowned for being aggressive in his quest to build a contender. Dan Morgan also recently revealed that Carolina's scouting department has produced thousands of reports regarding players who could be deemed surplus to requirements elsewhere.
Given the Panthers are currently No. 9 on the waiver order, there's a good chance they could land a preferred target in a position of need. Fitterer could even part ways with a Day 3 selection to jump the queue if he feels like it could benefit the franchise.
With this in mind, here are five players the Panthers could pick up if they land on the waiver wire during final cuts.
Carolina Panthers could sign Brandon Walton
- Offensive Line | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Even though the Carolina Panthers seem happy with their starting offensive line, depth remains a concern. The likes of Cam Erving have proven incapable of providing the consistency needed when thrust into action, so finding better alternatives is something that will be strongly considered.
For all the questions surrounding the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, their offensive line options look deeper than most, That could leave the physically gifted Brandon Walton on the outside looking in.
Walton has decent swing tackle potential with a far greater upside than someone like Erving. Whether the Bucs give up on him so soon remains to be seen. but he'd be a good option in this scenario.
Carolina Panthers could sign K’Lavon Chaisson
- Edge Rusher | Jacksonville Jaguars
It would be a shock to see K’Lavon Chaisson part ways with the Jacksonville Jaguars. But it's hard to look at the edge rusher's current predicament and not think he isn't skating on very thin ice.
Injuries and poor production leave Chaisson's future hanging in the balance. Josh Allen and Travon Walker are projected to be the Jaguars' 3-4 starting outside linebacker tandem, so much will depend on whether Jacksonville deems his $4.24 million salary-cap hit acceptable for a backup entering the final year of his rookie deal.
Three sacks in as many seasons weren't what the Jaguars had in mind when they selected Chaisson at No. 20 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. Especially considering the immense physical tools he clearly has when fit and firing on all cylinders.
If Chaisson does end up on waivers, the Carolina Panthers should take a look. They appear happy with their depth options at edge rusher following the arrival of Justin Houston, but the former LSU star could be a wildcard option to consider if the Jaguars finally cut their losses.
This would likely come down to whether or not the coaching staff believes Chaisson is an upgrade over players such as Marquis Haynes Sr. and Yetur Gross-Matos. In all honesty, the jury is still out on that one.
Carolina Panthers could sign Zonovan Knight
- Running Back | New York Jets
The Carolina Panthers will likely take through three running backs onto their 2023 roster. Miles Sanders is the featured presence after his high-profile switch from the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency, with Chuba Hubbard and Raheem Blackshear also set to accumulate touches within Frank Reich and Thomas Brown's more dynamic offensive system.
That seems to be the general consensus. But could that change depending on which players land on the waiver wire?
Things look especially crowded within the New York Jets running back room following Breece Hall's return to health and veteran Dalvin Cook's signing after his release from the Minnesota Vikings. Assuming Michael Carter is the No. 3 option, it means some good players are going to be removed from the equation in the coming days.
Zonovan Knight is firmly on the bubble and might be sacrificed to make room for Cook. The undrafted free agent out of North Carolina State performed extremely well when called upon as a rookie in 2022, emerging as a surprising dual-threat force capable of carrying the load when required.
If Knight finds himself looking for a new home as expected, there should be a queue of suitors. What the Panthers need to figure out is whether he would be an improvement over either Hubbard or Blackshear, who've shown signs of life once again during preseason involvement.
Carolina Panthers could sign Rachad Wildgoose
- Cornerback | Washington Commanders
Concerns surrounding the Carolina Panthers cornerback depth don't appear as great now thanks to impressive summers from C.J. Henderson and Keith Taylor Jr. However, both have shone at this stage before and completely fluffed their lines when the real action commences, so it's a fluid situation.
Looking at bolstering their options should always be done in any case. This bears more significance when one considers the injury complications that might emerge in the cornerback unit based on recent history.
The Washington Commanders have strength in depth across their secondary after drafting Emmanuel Forbes and Quan Martin. That means some tough decisions are coming for ex-Panthers head coach Ron Rivera and Rachad Wildgoose is a name that might be let go in the coming days.
Wildgoose is a specialist, but not a bad one. His production as a slot cornerback last season came in for significant praise, but this is the only place he can operate effectively given how things normally go when he's tasked with outside responsibilities.
Adding Wildgoose would improve Carolna's hopes of stable coverage against inside receivers or even tight ends. His experience on special teams could indicate he'd be an upgrade on Stantley Thomas-Oliver III if the former seventh-rounder does enough to make the Panthers' initial 53-man roster.
Carolina Panthers could sign Rashard Lawrence
- Nose Tackle | Arizona Cardinals
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the Arizona Cardinals are entering a period of rebuilding. Trading away former first-rounder Isaiah Simmons to the New York Giants for nothing more than a seventh-round pick was proof positive of this fact, with some analysts even predicting they'll have the top-two selections in the 2024 NFL Draft given the pessimism surrounding the organization.
This is something other teams will be monitoring closely until the trade deadline, one suspects. The Carolina Panthers could benefit before then if Rashard Lawrence becomes available on the waiver wire.
Lawrence boasts some eye-catching gifts. But injuries have hindered the former fourth-round selections's growth considerably throughout his time in the pros - leaving him buried down the depth chart as a result.
This is an area of need for the Panthers after their controversial decision to part ways with Marquan McCall, who failed a physical with the New England Patriots after a knee issue emerged. Raequan Williams and Taylor Stallworth could fill in and cannot be ignored, but Lawrence is a far greater talent when healthy.
Health is the big key. If everything checks out on the injury front and Lawrence suffers no further complications, this is a player with starting credentials looking at the other options available to Carolina's progressive defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.