Which Carolina Panthers news stories are hitting the headlines as the deadline for initial 53-man rosters around the league draws closer?
With preseason games concluding, teams around the NFL are currently having fierce discussions before making their initial 53-man rosters known to the league. The Carolina Panthers got ahead of the process following their game on Friday night, but general manager Scott Fitterer will also be keeping a close eye on the waiver wire for any potential additions that could help in some capacity next season.
A busy few days await. Until then, among the stories causing conversation include the first round of cuts, Matt Corral's future, Frank Reich on eliminating mistakes, and the potential for new additions before Week 1 at the Atlanta Falcons arrives.
Let's delve into each topic in more detail.
Carlina Panthers make first roster cuts
The Carolina Panthers were the first NFL team to start trimming the fat in terms of roster cuts on Saturday. Those in power deemed 11 players surplus to requirements, which didn't come with many shocks considering their respective contributions throughout the offseason preparation period.
- QB Jake Luton
- RB Camerun Peoples
- WR Gary Jennings
- WR C.J. Saunders
- OT Larnel Coleman
- DT Antwuan Jackson
- LB Bumper Pool
- S Collin Duncan
- S Josh Thomas
- CB Rejzohn Wright
- K Matthew Wright
The Panthers have many more difficult conversations before getting down to 53 players ahead of Tuesday's deadline. Making this first round public so early was also done with a view to enticing a potential trade partner for Matthew Wright, whose kicking exploits drew praise throughout the preseason.
Keep those notifications on today. There will be more coming and perhaps a shock or two along the way.
Carolina Panthers looking to fix mistakes
Although the Carolina Panthers couldn't muster enough to finish their preseason on a high against the Detroit Lions, there was a lot to like about how the first-team offense performed during their limited sample size. Rookie quarterback Bryce Young got the football downfield with ruthless efficiency, scoring 10 points on his two drives and also throwing the first touchdown pass of his professional career to Adam Thielen.
It wasn't perfect by any stretch. Mistakes were made, but head coach Frank Reich preached the importance of keeping these to a minimum when the real action arrives via Sports Illustrated. And when they do happen, bouncing back immediately is of critical importance.
"Just got to eliminate. We can’t beat ourselves so we have to eliminate mistakes. We had a penalty in the one drive. We had a 2nd and 4 and went back to 2nd and 9 but I think that was it and it didn’t stop the drive. I don’t think that penalty stopped the drive. But no doubt, in this game, we understand you can’t beat yourself. We have to minimize those mistakes. They are going to happen. So, when they do happen, you have to show that you can overcome them. We did do a better job early on in the game of avoiding some of those small mistakes."Frank Reich via Sports Illustrated
No team is going to go through any game without an error here or there. That's human nature - but the magnitude of these mistakes and their repercussions are what separates the contending teams from the also-rans.
Which side of the fence will Reich and the Panthers be on in 2023? Time will tell.
Carolina Panthers contemplating new additions?
General manager Scott Fitterer is not known for resting on his laurels. The front office figure is constantly searching for ways to improve the roster ahead of a big campaign for the Carolina Panthers, with his aggressive approach coming to the fore on countless occasions since Matt Rhule was shown the door after Week 5 of the 2022 season.
This has the Panthers in a much better place in the short and long term. But even when Fitterer and his staff get the roster down to 53, the chances of another addition or two arriving from the waiver wire that didn't quite fit in elsewhere are high.
One area that could be reinforced is Carolina's wide receiver room. Several key contributors are dealing with injuries currently, but head coach Frank Reich stated via the team's website they are taking things one day at a time and will react accordingly to any further developments.
"The mindset for me is, it's kind of a combination … it is kind of a move ahead, and then if we get somebody great, it's a day-to-day thing. I'm encouraged by the progress that guys are making. And I think hopefully we'll get an indication in the next few days (about) how some of those guys are looking for the game against Atlanta."Frank Reich via Panthers.com
Terrace Marshall Jr. and D.J. Chark are the big absentees, although the former is hopeful of being ready for Carolina's season opener. Laviska Shenault Jr. should come out of the NFL's concussion protocol in the coming days, but much will also depend on which options hit the waiver wire, too.
Carolina Panthers QB Matt Corral's future
It's been evident for some time that the Carolina Panthers have a conundrum on their hands with Matt Corral. The quarterback had some moments of quality during the preseason and is working hard on improving under the team's exceptional coaching staff, but his situation remains a precarious one with a final decision looming about his future.
When asked about Corral's development and whether he's done enough to make the 53-man roster, Frank Reich took the diplomatic approach while praising the former third-round selection's work ethic via Sports Illustrated. The head coach also highlighted the new NFL rule that permits an emergency option to be activated on game day if injury strikes as something they'll factor into their decision-making process.
"Really encouraged with Matt. I think he's made great progress. Matt's incredibly athletic. He's got a really strong arm. I think he's worked as hard as anybody in the building. He's had a lot of snaps in the preseason and I think he's done a good job. As far as keeping the third quarterback on the roster, obviously with the new rule, it's something that has to be considered. Scott [Fitterer] and I have already had several initial discussions about that and that's a decision that will be made here in the next couple days. There's a lot of factors that go into that, but happy with the progress that Matt has made."Frank Reich via Sports Illustrated
It could go either way for Corral, in all honesty. Jake Luton was cut on Saturday, but the Panthers would likely try to seek out a trade partner for the Ole Miss product before coming to the same outcome.