One of the most chaotic times of the NFL's calendar is now upon us. Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the end of the preseason.
By 6:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, teams will have to cut down from 90 players to 53 before embarking on the new campaign. This upcoming weekend is set to play host to many painful decisions, more than a few surprises and maybe even a trade or two.
The Carolina Panthers, who are coming off their first NFC South title since 2015, may be on greater standing now than they were in the past handful of years. But they certainly aren't exempt from having to make difficult choices when it comes to constructing their initial 53-man roster.
So, how will that room look when the dust settles? Well, let's take a crack at predicting it.
Here
is our projection for the Panthers' initial 53-man roster of 2026 . . .
Quarterbacks (3)
- Bryce Young
- Kenny Pickett
- Haynes King
Cuts: Kyle Trask
While general manager Dan Morgan and head coach Dave Canales didn't keep more than two quarterbacks in either of their first two seasons at the helm, King could become the exception. The Panthers will want to hold on to the talented rookie, and trying to sneak him through waivers and onto the practice squad would be too risky of a move in this quarterback-driven league.
Running backs (4)
- Chuba Hubbard
- Jonathon Brooks
- Trevor Etienne
- AJ Dillon
Cuts: Anthony Tyus III, Miles Davis
Allocating a fourth spot to the running back position may not be very resourceful, especially if you're holding on to three quarterbacks. But Dillon might've proved that there's a role for him on this offense, which hasn't had a real short-yardage rushing weapon for quite some time.
Hubbard's hamstring injury may also help his chances. Although there doesn't seem to be a great deal of concern about Hubbard moving forward, Dillon could provide insurance to a backfield that's had trouble with staying healthy.
Wide receivers (7)
- Tetairoa McMillan
- Jalen Coker
- Xavier Legette
- Brycen Tremayne
- Jimmy Horn Jr.
- Ja'seem Reed
- John Metchie III
Cuts: David Moore, Casey Washington, Roc Taylor, Elijah Cooks
Injured reserve: Chris Brazzell II (knee), Dan Chisena (undisclosed)
Speaking of injuries, Legette was still in a boot at Wednesday's joint practice against the Houston Texans. With some uncertainty on the early-season status of the 2024 first-round pick, we'll pad the room with Metchie—Carolina's leading receiver this preseason.
Moore, a Canales darling, is a vested veteran and isn't subject to waivers. He can be signed right back as a member of the practice squad if he's released.
Tight ends (3)
- Tommy Tremble
- Mitchell Evans
- Feleipe Franks
Cuts: Darren Waller, Ja'Tavion Sanders, James Mitchell, Caden Prieskorn
Like Moore, Waller can immediately return on a backdoor deal to the practice squad. Given that the 33-year-old is a tad late to the party, having just signed last week, letting him continue to catch up off to the side might be a solid move.
With some rumblings regarding a potential trade, Sanders also misses the cut and should be a candidate for the practice squad . . . if he can clear waivers.
Offensive linemen (9)
- Rasheed Walker
- Damien Lewis
- Luke Fortner
- Robert Hunt
- Monroe Freeling
- Brady Christensen
- Sam Hecht
- Jake Curhan
- Stone Forsythe
Cuts: Chandler Zavala, Albert Reese, Nick Samac, Ja'Tyre Carter, Ryan Hayes, Isaia Glass
Injured reserve: Ikem Ekwonu (knee), Taylor Moton (lung)
This might be the end of the line for Zavala—who was tried out at center, a position he never played in the pros nor in college, at a recent practice.
Reese is an interesting case. The undrafted rookie, per Pro Football Focus, is amongst the most efficient blockers this preseason—and will almost certainly draw outside interest if he hits the waiver wire.
Defensive linemen (5)
- Derrick Brown
- Bobby Brown III
- Cam Jackson
- Lee Hunter
- Aaron Hall
Cuts: Jared Harrison-Hunte, Elijah Garcia, Parker Petersen, Tywone Malone, Kyon Barrs
Injured reserve: Tershawn Wharton (neck)
Hall has become a bit of a cult favorite, and has backed up that adoration by showing off his pass-rushing chops this summer. That should help him land in the back of the room, with Harrison-Hunte and Garcia as other worthy options.
Outside linebackers (5)
- Jaelan Phillips
- Pat Jones II
- Princely Umanmielen
- Trevis Gipson
- Thomas Incoom
Cuts: Cam Gill, Isaiah Smith, Jeremiah Moon
Injured reserve: Nic Scourton (knee)
Gill came back to Carolina with a UFL Defensive Player of the Year trophy and some added juice off the edge. But he ends up being one of our toughest cuts, especially with the lack of depth following Scourton's season-ending ACL tear.
Inside linebackers (4)
- Devin Lloyd
- Trevin Wallace
- Claudin Cherelus
- Jackson Kuwatch
Cuts: Bam Martin-Scott, Maema Njongmeta, Mapalo Mwansa
Although Wallace and Cherelus may be engaged in the most uninspiring battle of training camp, they're the best this defense currently has outside of Lloyd. They stick, but the winner for that second starting job may not be on the roster.
Cornerbacks (5)
- Jaycee Horn
- Mike Jackson
- Chau Smith-Wade
- Corey Thornton
- Will Lee III
Cuts: Akayleb Evans, Robert Rochell, Devonta Smith, Tyrek Funderburk, Cam Miller, DeCarlos Nicholson
Smith-Wade and Thornton may be headlining another lackluster competition, at the nickel. Both, however, possess some versatility—with the former having received looks at safety and the latter on the outside.
Safeties (5)
- Tre'von Moehrig
- Nick Scott
- Lathan Ransom
- Zakee Wheatley
- Isaiah Simmons
Cuts: Demani Richardson
Simmons seems to be carving out a home for himself in Carolina. His prowess on special teams, as well as his intriguing potential on defense, keeps him around.
Kicker (1)
- Ryan Fitzgerald
Punter (1)
- Sam Martin
Long snapper (1)
- JJ Jansen
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Projecting the Panthers' initial 53-man roster for the 2026 season
