Carolina Panthers 53-man 2024 roster projection: Offseason change edition
By Dean Jones
Nobody expected the Carolina Panthers to sit on their hands and stand pat after one of the worst seasons in franchise history. The team is languishing at rock bottom with nowhere to go but up. After a memorable recruitment period under the new power trio of Dan Morgan, Brandt Tilis, and Dave Canales, confidence has been restored.
The Panthers invested heavily into their offense to ensure quarterback Bryce Young gets a better chance to shine moving forward. Carolina also wanted to raise standards and increase competition across the board. This is a proven method for enhancing performance levels with an extra sense of urgency given the new regime has no sentiment attached to their decision-making process.
Nobody is expecting miracles right out of the gate. However, if the Panthers can make gradual improvements and Young takes a step forward under Canales' expert guidance, fans will start to see light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
Looking at how things stand following another offseason of vast changes across the board, we took a look at how the Panthers' 53-man roster might look when Week 1 rolls around. However, the promise of further arrivals cannot be dismissed with Carolina sitting at No. 1 on the waiver wire.
Carolina Panthers special teams (3)
- Eddy Pineiro (K), Johnny Hekker (P), J.J. Jansen (LS).
Veteran long-snapper J.J. Jansen is returning to extend his franchise record in competitive appearances. Johnny Hekker should also remain a consistent presence punting the football. Hopefully, the All-Decade player will be tasked with far less this season given Dave Canales' plans for offensive growth in 2024.
The fate of Eddy Pineiro is less certain. He's entering the final year of his deal and faces competition for his spot in the form of undrafted free agent Harrison Mevis. It'll be interesting to see how both players respond throughout the offseason, but the veteran is tentatively preferred at this juncture.
That said, general manager Dan Morgan won't hesitate to go with the young rookie if he feels like it's the best thing for the Carolina Panthers long-term.