BREAKING: Carolina Panthers Sign QB Tommy Stevens to Practice Squad
Monday evening, the Carolina Panthers announced that QB Tommy Stevens has signed to the team's practice squad. Stevens was brought in for a workout last week, so this is not in wake of the injury to Teddy Bridgewater who suffered an MCL sprain on Sunday.
Stevens played his first three years of college football at Penn State as a backup to starting QB Trace McSorley. Stevens was also used in a variety of other ways, including lining up at running back and tight end. He finished his career at Penn State with 506 rushing yards and eight touchdowns went just 24/41 for 304 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.
For his final season a the collegiate level, Stevens transferred to Mississippi State to play for Joe Moorhead who was his offensive coordinator at Penn State. In nine games as the Bulldogs starting QB, he went 97/161 for 1,155 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions.
During the draft process, Stevens was a guy that the Panthers were heavily interested in but were wanting to sign him as an undrafted free agent. The New Orleans Saints, who were also heavily interested, complained to the league that the Panthers had "worked out a deal" with Stevens prior to the conclusion of the 2020 NFL Draft. The Saints decided to trade back into the seventh round of the draft to select Stevens so that Carolina could not sign him as an UDFA. During training camp, the Saints moved him to tight end but never made his NFL debut. The team released him last Tuesday.
Stevens is someone who could fill the role similar to that of the do-it-all Taysom Hill in New Orleans. He can line up at quarterback, running back, tight end, receiver - you name it, he can play it. The Panthers have eyed him up for several months and jumped on the opportunity to sign him as soon as he was released. It may be a while, but look for Stevens to be a player that could make his way onto the active roster sometime down the line for the Panthers.
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