The Carolina Panthers officially submitted their initial 53-man roster for the 2026 season on Sunday evening, narrowly beating the league deadline. The defending NFC South champions’ roster construction process included several unexpected personnel decisions that raised eyebrows across the organization.
Wide receiver Ja’seem Reed emerged as one of the most surprising departures. The second-year player impressed during offseason activities and even received public recognition from general manager Dan Morgan during preseason broadcasts. Despite showing promise, Reed was released and made available on waivers rather than retained as depth in the receiver corps.
The defensive line also saw notable changes, as undrafted free agent Jared Harrison-Hunte lost his roster spot following a solid preseason performance. The Panthers opted to pursue an alternative solution, acquiring defensive lineman TeRah Edwards through a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers instead of keeping Harrison-Hunte on the depth chart.
Linebacker Trevin Wallace and cornerback Corey Thornton rounded out the surprising cuts. Wallace, a 2024 third-round draft pick, fell out of favor after the Panthers signed veteran Bobby Okereke to a deal. Thornton, who performed adequately as a rookie the previous season, similarly lost his competition for the slot cornerback role to Chau Smith-Wade and subsequently landed on waivers.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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