3 pressing questions about Panthers' 53-man roster for 2024 NFL season

Matt Alquiza | Aug 27, 2024

Aug 24, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales watches a play against the Buffalo Bills in the third quarter pre-season game at Highmark Stadium. / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

The Carolina Panthers have narrowed down their roster from the 90 players they carried in the preseason to the 53 men that will get the first crack at preparing for the 2024 NFL regular season. Dozens of practices and meetings, four weeks of training camp, three preseason games, and a number of difficult conversations have led to this point in the NFL offseason. The Panthers roster looks much better than it did in January, but questions still exist. Let's dive in.

Who is going to rush the passer alongside Jadeveon Clowney?

That's the number one question, folks. Clowney just competed one of the most impressive seasons of his illustrious NFL career at the ripe age of 30 years old. It's a safe bet for him to continue producing elite numbers due to his ridiculous work ethic, but it's a bad bet to expect him to carry the Panthers' pass rush as a one man band.

The options to start at outside linebacker opposite of Clowney leave much to be desired. DJ Johnson, K'Lavon Chaisson, and Eku Leota, the only three non-Clowney outside linebackers named to the initial 53-man roster, all bring different skills to the table. However, none of them are the consistent pass-rushing options that successful NFL defenses need in the pass-happy modern NFL.

The Panthers own the number one waiver priority, and it would be the upset of the millennium if they don't bring in another pass rusher or two in the coming days. Andre Carter and KJ Henry are two names on waivers to keep an eye on.

How do the wide receiver snaps shake out?

Goodbye, Terrace Marshall Jr. Hello, Jalen Coker.

The Panthers decided to end their strained marriage with 2021 second round pick Terrace Marshall Jr. on Tuesday, cutting ties with a player that has spent more time on the trade block than on the field. He had a super impressive training camp that elevated his stock to heights he hadn't seen as a Panther, but Dave Canales and Dan Morgan decided that his stock would be better off flourishing elsewhere.

In his stead, the Panthers kept Jalen Coker around. Coker, an undrafted free agent out of Holy Cross, is the biggest surprise on the initial 53-man roster. He's had a quiet training camp (especially compared to Marshall's boisterous dominance from the last two weeks), but apparently he showed enough to stick around.

Marshall had been running the next man up with the starting group when a first-stringer sat out of practice, and it is now assumed that his role will go to one of Coker, David Moore, or Ihmir Smith-Marsette, the other three reserve receivers kept behind the starters and Xavier Legette.

I'd be shocked if this is the end of the jockeying among Panthers wide receivers. I feel safe predicting that another move or two will happen with that group before the plane to New Orleans takes off in two weeks.

How does the secondary shake out?

The Panthers kept 10 defensive backs on their initial roster, Five cornerbacks, and five safeties. Jammie Robinson was the biggest surprise on the defensive depth chart, although his impressive preseason performance turned heads around the Queen City.

Anyone and everyone who has followed the Panthers story this preseason is aware of their need of a second cornerback. Dane Jackson was in pole position to start opposite Jaycee Horn in week one, but a significant hamstring injury has left him unable to practice, leaving his status murky as the regular season approaches.

The franchise traded for veteran Michael Jackson last week, and I'm confident that the moves in the cornerback room won't stop there. Look for Carolina to be aggressive on the waiver wire when it comes to adding help in the secondary. Caleb Farley and Kelvin Joseph are two names to watch on this front.

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