Panthers News: Ikem Ekwonu, Bryce Young, tryouts and D.J. Moore
By Dean Jones
Carolina Panthers invite XFL trio for tryouts
Although the Carolina Panthers have done a nice job of bolstering their roster during the 2023 NFL Draft and free agency, there are still a few needs the team must fill before competitive games arrive. And according to a recent publication, three XFL players have been invited in for tryouts.
The XFL - now led by Dwayne The Rock Johnson - has been moderately successful in its first campaign back. Some talented players have come to the fore, with offensive tackle Derrick Kelly, center Dohnovan West, and wide receiver Austin Proehl catching Carolina's eye en route to invitations.
The surname Proehl is extremely familiar to Panthers fans. Austin is the son of former Carolina wideout Ricky Proehl, who gained 1,327 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in three seasons. He was also an accomplished coach with the team during a glorious spell in the mid-2010s.
Kelly was widely regarded as one of the XFL's premier edge protectors this season. The same goes for West on the interior, who enjoyed a productive college career at Arizona State before going undrafted.
Whether any of the aforementioned trio can force their way into Carolina's plans remains to be seen. However, the Panthers aren't losing anything by bringing them in for a closer look.