Carolina Panthers Roster 2013: Latest Cuts, Depth Charts and Analysis

The Carolina Panthers made their first round of roster cuts on Saturday, getting rid of 12 players to get their roster to 78 players.

Then, shortly before the 4 p.m. ET deadline, Carolina got to the 75-player roster limit. Now the Panthers must whittle down to 53 players by Saturday, Aug. 31.

Which players will be sent home from the Panthers’ facility and who will make the cut?

Here’s a tracker we’ll be updating throughout the chaos.

List of 53-Man Roster Cuts

The Panthers waived 15 players, waived four due to injury and terminated the contracts of three veterans on Saturday to get to the 53-man roster limit set by the NFL.

Here are the transactions:

• Brenton Bersin, WR (waived)
• Garrett Chisolm, T (waived)
• Dominique Curry, TE (waived)
• Sione Fua, DT (waived)
• Hayworth Hicks, G (waived)
• Doug Hogue, LB (waived)
• Taulib Ikharo, WR (waived)
• Ben Jacobs, LB (waived)
• Robert Lester, S (waived)
• Tori Mobley, G (waived)
• Zack Pianalto, TE (waived)
• Tauren Poole, RB (waived)
• Craig Roh, DE (waived)
• James Shaw, WR (waived)
• Casey Walker, DT (waived)
• D.J. Campbell, S (waived/injured)
• Jimmy Clausen, QB (waived/injured)
• David Gettis, WR (waived/injured)
• Anderson Russell, S (waived/injured)
• Patrick Brown, T (terminated)
• Drayton Florence, CB (terminated)
• Jason Williams, LB (terminated)

Wide receiver David Gettis is gone because of the emergence on Ted Ginn Jr. as a receiving threat for the Panthers. Ginn caught nine passes for 204 yards and two touchdowns.

The Practice Squad

The Panthers signed seven players to their practice squad on Sunday:

• Brenton Bersin, WR
• Ben Jacobs, LB
• Robert Lester, S
• Tauren Poole, RB
• Craig Roh, DE
• James Shaw, WR
• Casey Walker, DT

League rules allow for eight players to be placed on a team's practice squad. Look for Carolina to add one more player soon.

Final Depth Chart

53-Man Roster

Offense (25)

WR: Steve Smith, Armanti Edwards

LT: Jordan Gross, Nate Chandler

LG: Amini Silatolu, Chris Scott

C: Ryan Kalil, Jeff Byers, Brian Folkerts

RG: Garry Williams, Travelle Wharton

RT: Byron Bell

TE: Greg Olsen, Ben Hartsock, Brandon Williams

WR: Brandon LaFell, Domenik Hixon, Ted Ginn

QB: Cam Newton, Derek Anderson

FB: Mike Tolbert, Richie Brockel

RB: DeAngelo Williams, Kenjon Barner, Armond Smith

Defense (25)

LDE: Charles Johnson, Frank Alexander

DT: Dwan Edwards, Kawann Short

NT: Star Lotulelei, Colin Cole

RDE: Greg Hardy, Mario Addison, Wes Horton

SLB: Thomas Davis, A.J. Klein

MLB: Luke Kuechly, Chase Blackburn

WLB: Jon Beason, Jordan Senn

LCB: Josh Thomas, James Dockery

RCB: Captain Munnerlyn, Josh Norman, D.J. Moore, Melvin White

SS: Mike Mitchell

FS: Charles Godfrey, Quintin Mikell, Colin Jones

Specialists (3)

K: Graham Gano

P: Brad Nortman

KO: Graham Gano

H: Brad Nortman

PR: Ted Ginn, Armanti Edwards

KR: Ted Ginn, Kenjon Barner, Armond Smith

LS: J.J. Jansen

Starters and Injury Notes

Training camp for the Panthers has been about new beginnings, and not just for the rookies. Several veterans with star power, like linebacker Jon Beason, are set on entering the season healthy and staying that way. Running back Jonathan Stewart’s ankles have kept him off the field during the preseason. He’s anxious to get back as soon as possible.

Projected Starters

QB: Cam Newton

RB: DeAngelo Williams

FB: Mike Tolbert

WR: Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell

TE: Greg Olsen

OT: Jordan Gross, Byron Bell

OG: Amini Silatolu, Garry Williams

C: Ryan Kalil

DT: Dwan Edwards, Star Lotulelei

DE: Charles Johnson, Greg Hardy

OLB: Thomas Davis, Jon Beason

ILB: Luke Kuechly

CB: Drayton Florence, Captain Munnerlyn

FS: Charles Godfrey

SS: Mike Mitchell

Injury Notes

Jonathan Stewart, RB (ankles): Stewart’s right ankle is supposedly the one giving him trouble, but neither is proven to be 100 percent after he had surgery on both in the offseason. Stewart hasn’t participated in training camp and will start the season on the PUP list, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Stewart is eligible to return in Week 7 and will miss at least five games (Carolina has a Week 4 bye). 

Amini Silatolu, G (hamstring): The Panthers might be without Silatolu, their starting left guard, for Week 1 with a hamstring injury, according to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer.

First Round of Cuts

The Panthers made the following cuts to get to 78 players and later signed offensive lineman Travelle Wharton to push them back to 79. They still need to release four more to get to the required 75-man roster limit:

• Colby Cameron, QB
• Jordan Gay, P
• Nick Hixson, CB
• Morgan Lineberry, K
• Dale Moss, WR
• Louis Nzegwu, DE
• Ryan Rau, LB
• Ricardo Silva, S
• Justin Wells, G
• Bruce Campbell, T (Waived/Injured)
• Kealoha Pilares, WR (Waived/Injured)
• Michael Zordich, FB (Waived/Injured)

About 20 minutes prior to the 4 p.m. ET deadline on Tuesday, Carolina made the following four moves to get to the 75-man roster limit:

• Frank Kearse, DT (Waived/Injured)
• Joe Adams, WR (Waived/Injured)
• Edmund Kugbila, G (Injured Reserve)
• Jonathan Stewart, RB (PUP List)

While there aren’t many head-scratchers on this list, given the lack of depth at the wide receiver position waiving Pilares is somewhat questionable. If he makes it through waivers, the Panthers could place him on their injured reserve list while he recovers this season from a torn ACL.

Stewart to the PUP list is a huge blow to this Carolina offense.

Previewing 53-Man Roster Cuts & Depth Chart Post 75-Man Roster Cuts

The Panthers have their depth chart posted on their website. After removing the four players involved in Tuesday’s transactions, here’s what it looks like:

Post 75-man Depth Chart

Offense

WR: Steve Smith, Armanti Edwards, David Gettis, Brenton Bersin

LT: Jordan Gross, Nate Chandler, Garrett Chisolm

LG: Amini Silatolu, Chris Scott, Tori Mobley

C: Ryan Kalil, Jeff Byers, Brian Folkerts

RG: Garry Williams, Travelle Wharton, Hayworth Hicks

RT: Byron Bell, Patrick Brown

TE: Greg Olsen, Ben Hartsock, Brandon Williams, Dominique Curry, Zack Pianalto

WR: Brandon LaFell, Domenik Hixon, Ted Ginn, Taulib Ikharo, James Shaw

QB: Cam Newton, Derek Anderson, Jimmy Clausen

FB: Mike Tolbert, Richie Brockel

RB: DeAngelo Williams, Kenjon Barner, Armond Smith, Tauren Poole

Defense

LDE: Charles Johnson, Frank Alexander, Craig Roh

DT: Dwan Edwards, Kawann Short, Sione Fua

NT: Star Lotulelei, Colin Cole, Casey Walker

RDE: Greg Hardy, Mario Addison, Wes Horton

SLB: Thomas Davis, A.J. Klein, Jason Williams

MLB: Luke Kuechly, Chase Blackburn, Ben Jacobs

WLB: Jon Beason, Jordan Senn, Doug Hogue

LCB: Drayton Florence, Josh Thomas, James Dockery

RCB: Captain Munnerlyn, Josh Norman, D.J. Moore, Melvin White

SS: Mike Mitchell, D.J. Campbell, Robert Lester, Anderson Russell

FS: Charles Godfrey, Haruki Nakamura, Colin Jones

Specialists

K: Graham Gano

P: Brad Nortman

KO: Graham Gano

H: Brad Nortman

PR: Ted Ginn, Armanti Edwards

KR: Ted Ginn, Kenjon Barner, Armond Smith

LS: J.J. Jansen

Previewing 53-man Roster Cuts

Playing general manager is typically fun, but remember only Dave Gettleman has the scoop, and he's not talking just yet. Here's a look at how the Panthers might get to 53 players.

• Jimmy Clausen, QB: There’s just no need for three quarterbacks on this roster and there’s no qualms about Clausen being the odd man out. 
• Armond Smith, RB: Smith didn’t do himself any favors by getting ejected in the Baltimore game. 
• Dominique Curry, TE: With three tight ends on the roster there is no room for Curry. 
• Zack Pianalto, TE: The same goes for Pianalto that went for Curry. Pianalto only played 11 snaps during the Panthers first three preseason games. 
• Brenton Bersin, WR: Bersin got to play a bit, but didn't do enough on offense or special teams to make a difference. 
• Taulib Ikharo, WR: Ikharo was in on just 10 offensive plays for the Panthers during their first three preseason games. 
• James Shaw, WR: Shaw was in on just four offensive plays during the first three preseason games. He's not done enough to move up the depth chart. 
• Nate Chandler, T: Chandler had trouble run blocking, which isn't a good problem to have with one of the team's main running backs starting the season on the PUP list. 
• Garrett Chisolm, T: Chisolm played just 13 preseason snaps and had trouble in both run blocking and pass protection. 
• Tori Mobley, G: Played just 17 snaps on offense in three preseason games and isn't one of the four guards or hybrid linemen that'll make it. 
• Brian Folkerts, C: The Panthers only need two centers on the roster and Kalil and Byers are the guys. 
• Patrick Brown, T: Brown played just 36 preseason snaps and hasn't made an impression on the coaching staff to warrant a roster spot. 
• Hayworth Hicks, G: Hicks showed vulnerabilities in both pass protection and run blocking in preseason games. 
• Craig Roh, DE: Roh didn't show the pass-rush skills needed to make a difference on the Panthers roster. 
• Casey Walker, DT: Walker didn't impress in run stopping and played just 47 snaps on defense in three preseason games. 
• Doug Hogue, LB: Hogue got just seven snaps through three preseason games. That's enough to say he's not making this team. 
• Ben Jacobs, LB: Jacobs is at a logjam position in the middle of the defense and didn't differentiate himself at all. 
• D.J. Campbell, S: Campbell had trouble in coverage and only made four tackles in three preseason games. 
• Robert Lester, S: Lester played in just 26 preseason snaps for the Panthers and didn't register any stats. 
• Anderson Russell, S: Russell played just 37 preseason snaps and hasn't shown a "wow" factor yet. 
• Melvin White, CB: White had some trouble in coverage and was penalized in his limited time on the field during preseason action.

Recently Cut Free Agents Panthers Are Rumored to Be Pursuing

Free safety Quintin Mikell visited the Panthers in July but was not signed to a contract, according to the Charlotte Observer. Due to a rash of injuries at safety, Mikell was brought back Monday.

Mikell's brain will also be picked apart as an advanced scout as he has "strong ties" to a number of Carolina's 2013 opponents.

To make room for Mikell, the Panthers send safety Haruki Nakamura to injured reserve.