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NFL Cutdown Day: Carolina Panthers Face Big Questions Following Initial 53-Man Roster Submission

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
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NFL Cutdown Day: Carolina Panthers Face Big Questions Following Initial 53-Man Roster Submission

Dan Morgan made his final decision.  

On Tuesday, that is.  

The Carolina Panthers general manager will have more to make Wednesday, and multiple choices will surely soon develop daily, but on NFL cutdown day, Mordan submitted his initial 53-man roster to the league office before the 4 p.m. ET deadline.

Among his decisions, wide receiver Adam Thielen remained in town, but likely still on the trading block with a first-class ticket back to Minnesota. 

Hunter Renfrow, a fan-favorite-in-the-making, was released after attempting a comeback and impressing, at times, during the offseason program. 

Needing a way to collapse the pocket, Morgan and coach Dave Canales elected to keep six outside linebackers, including underperforming DJ Johnson and special teamer Thomas Incoom. That left room for just four inside linebackers, including undrafted free agent Bam Martin-Scott. Will the Panthers seek experienced depth behind starters Christian Rozeboom and second-year pro Trevin Wallace? 

Staying young. Morgan elected to keep all eight draft picks and awarded spots to UDFAs Martin-Scott, kicker Ryan Fitzgerald and cornerback Corey Thornton. 

For a franchise that has not captured an NFC South title since 2015, is the rebuild finally in its final stage? 

2025 Carolina Panthers Active 53-Man Roster

Here is a look at the 2025 Carolina Panthers’ initial 53-man roster in alphabetical order by position:

Offense

Quarterbacks

No., Player, HT, WT, Age, Exp, College

  • 14, Andy Dalton, 6-2, 220, 37, 15, TCU
  • 9, Bryce Young, 5-10, 204, 24, 3, Alabama

Biggest question: Will Jack Plummer return to serve as the third teamer/practice squad QB?

Running Backs

  • 5, Rico Dowdle, 5-11, 215, 27, 6, South Carolina
  • 23, Trevor Etienne, 5-8, 198, 21, R, Georgia
  • 30, Chuba Hubbard, 6-1, 210, 26, 5, Oklahoma State

Biggest question: In a race to 1,000 yards rushing, who gets there first, Hubbard or Dowdle?

Tight Ends

  • 84, Mitchell Evans, 6-5, 258, 22, R, Notre Dame
  • 85, James Mitchell, 6-4, 249, 26, 3, Virginia Tech
  • 0, Ja’Tavion Sanders, 6-4, 252, 22, 2, Texas
  • 82, Tommy Tremble, 6-4, 250, 25, 5, Notre Dame

Biggest question: Mitchell forced his way onto the roster with a solid training camp and Tremble coming off back surgery. The position may be one player too heavy. How long will Morgan go with four-man room?

Wide Receivers

  • 18, Jalen Coker, 6-3, 213, 23, 2, Holy Cross
  • 15, Jimmy Horn Jr., 15, WR, 5-8, 174, 22, R, Colorado
  • 17, Xavier Legette, 6-3, 227, 24, 2, South Carolina
  • 4, Tetairoa McMillan, 6-5, 212, 22, R, Arizona
  • 83, David Moore, 6-0, 220, 30, 7, East Central
  • 19, Adam Thielen, 6-2, 195, 35, 12, Minnesota State
  • 87, Brycen Tremayne, 6-4, 212, 25, 1, Stanford

Biggest question: Young is opening the season with a potentially talented position group. Did Moore, a Canales guy, really beat out Hunter Renrow?

Centers

  • 63, Austin Corbett, 6-4, 305, 29, 8, Nevada
  • 64, Cade Mays, 6-6, 325, 26, 4, Tennessee

Biggest question: Can Corbett remain healthy?

Guards

  • 50, Robert Hunt, 50, G, 6-6, 323, 29, 6, Louisiana-Lafayette
  • 68, Damien Lewis, 68, G, 6-2, 327, 28, 6, LSU
  • 62, Chandler Zavala, 62, G, 6-3, 322, 26, 3, N.C. State

Biggest question: Zavala (knee) was slowed during training camp and been hampered by injuries in his opening two seasons. Can he remain game-ready?

Tackles

79, Ikem Ekwonu, 6-4, 320, 24, 4, N.C. State

72, Taylor Moton, 6-5, 325, 31, 9, Western Michigan

77, Yosh Nijman, 6-7, 314, 29, 6, Virginia Tech

Biggest question: With Moton receiving his extension, is Ekwonu asking Morgan: “Show me the money?”

Offensive Line

  • 70, Brady Christensen, 6-6, 300, 28, 5, BYU

Biggest question: Could the versatile Christensen develop into one of the Panthers’ most important reserves?

Defense

Defensive Ends

  • 95, Derrick Brown, 6-5, 320, 27, 6, Auburn
  • 94, A’Shawn Robinson, 6-3, 320, 30, 10, Alabama

Biggest question: Coming back from a knee injury, can Brown recapture his 2023 level of play?

Defensive Tackles

  • 97, Bobby Brown III, 6-4, 332, 25, 5, Texas A&M
  • 96, Jaden Crumedy, 6-4, 309, 25, 2, Mississippi State
  • 55, Cam Jackson, 6-6, 328, 23, R, Florida
  • 92, Tershawn Wharton, 6-1, 280, 27, 6, Missouri-Rolla

Biggest question: Can the new group stop the run?

Linebackers

  • 53, Claudin Cherelus, 6-2, 230, 26, 3, Alcorn State
  • 57, Bam Martin-Scott, 6-2, 231, 25, R, South Carolina
  • 56, Christian Rozeboom, 6-2, 230, 28, 5, South Dakota State
  • 32, Trevin Wallace, 6-1, 244, 22, 2, Kentucky

Biggest question: Can Rozeboom, who had an up-and-down offseason program and training camp, continue to prove he can be the leader of the new-look defense?

Outside Linebackers

  • 54, Boogie Basham, 6-3, 274, 27, 5, Wake Forest
  • 48, Thomas Incoom, 6-2, 265, 26, 3, Central Michigan
  • 52, DJ Johnson, 6-4, 260, 26, 3, Oregon
  • 91, Patrick Jones II , 6-4, 264, 26, 5, Pittsburgh
  • 11, Nic Scourton, 6-2, 257, 21, R, Texas A&M
  • 33, Princely Umanmielen, 6-4, 244, 23, R, Mississippi
  • 98, D.J. Wonnum, 6-5, 258, 27, 6, South Carolina

Biggest question: Outside of Young at QB, is there another position group that needs to perform beyond expectations for the Panthers to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2017?

Cornerbacks

  • 29, Akayleb Evans, 6-2, 198, 26, 4, Missouri
  • 8, Jaycee Horn, 6-1, 200, 25, 5, South Carolina
  • 2, Mike Jackson, 6-1, 210, 28, 5, Miami
  • 26, Chau Smith-Wade, 5-11, 176, 22, 2, Washington State
  • 31, Corey Thornton, 6-1, 195, 24, R, Louisville

Biggest question: Can Horn shake the recent NFL trend of CBs struggling after signing big contracts?

Safeties

  • 7, Tre’von Moehrig, 6-2, 202, 26, 5, TCU
  • 22, Lathan Ransom, 6-0, 206, 23, R, Ohio State
  • 36, Demani Richardson, 6-1, 215, 24, 2, Texas A&M
  • 21, Nick Scott, 5-11, 200, 30, 7, Penn State

Biggest question: Will Scott rebound from a sub-par first season with the Panthers?

Special Teams

Kicker

  • 35, Ryan Fitzgerald, 5-11, 193, 25, R, Florida State

Punter

  • 6, Sam Martin, 6-1, 205, 35, 13, Appalachian State

Long Snapper

  • 44, JJ Jansen, 6-2, 235, 39, 18, Notre Dame

Biggest question: Can Fitzgerald, an undrafted rookie, handle the job?

Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP)

No., Player, Pos, HT, WT, Age, Exp, College

  • 24, Jonathon Brooks, RB, 6-0, 207, 22, 2, Texas

Reserve/Injured

  • 78, Popo Aumavae, 78, 6-3, 315, 26, 2, Oregon
  • 93, LaBryan Ray, 93, 6-4, 290, 27, 3, Alabama

Biggest question: Will Aumavae and Ray, a member of the defensive line‘s rotation the past two seasons, recover in time to add midseason depth?

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He joined the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  
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