7 Carolina Panthers on the roster bubble after 2024 offseason overhaul
By Dean Jones
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Stephen Sullivan - Carolina Panthers TE
The Carolina Panthers needed to find a solution to their ongoing problem at the tight end spot this offseason. Hayden Hurt was released after just one season with little fanfare attached. Those in power got themselves a potential steal by drafting Ja'Tavion Sanders at No. 101 overall - someone who doesn't offer much from a blocking standpoint but can become an instant asset to Bryce Young in the passing game.
Couple this with the coaching staff's confidence in Tommy Tremble, things could be looking up. It's not guaranteed by any stretch of the imagination, but head coach Dave Canales should find a way to get this unit more productive after years of constant frustration since Greg Olsen's departure.
This means someone is going to miss out. Ian Thomas is a blocking specialist and took another pay cut to stick around. Unless there is a drastic drop-off elsewhere, things don't look especially promising from Stephen Sullivan's perspective.
Sullivan's been around for a relatively long time without making a notable impression. If the former seventh-round pick out of LSU doesn't catch the eye of Canales and his coaching staff, it's hard to envisage a scenario where he makes the 53-man roster in 2024.
Terrace Marshall Jr. - Carolina Panthers WR
Terrace Marshall Jr. flattered to deceive once again in 2023. The wide receiver - not for the first time - caught the eye during Carolina's training camp, displaying vice-like hands and athletic prowess that left some wondering if this could be the season he finally breaks out.
To say this didn't arrive would be an understatement. Marshall couldn't firmly establish himself, became an afterthought in the passing game despite others also struggling, and was granted a trade request shortly before the deadline.
Nothing came to fruition and Marshall was a healthy scratch for the most part over the second half of 2023. Dan Morgan hasn't completely cut ties as yet, but the arrivals of Diontae Johnson and Xavier Legette pushed the former second-round pick further down the pecking order.
The LSU product is going to get a chance to prove his worth, but it's a long road back looking at how things have unfolded throughout the first three seasons in Charlotte. Keep an eye on undrafted free agent Jalen Coker, who has the skill set and upside to potentially push for Marshall's roster spot with a smooth transition throughout the summer.