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Tetairoa McMillan Tetairoa McMillan Wraps minicamp with rest day
Thu, Jun 12, 2025, 11:07 AM
McMillan (leg) is not participating in Carolina's final session of mandatory minicamp Thursday as a precautionary measure, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Panthers coach Dave Canales said McMillan took a hit to the leg Tuesday while accidentally colliding with a defensive back, per Joe Person of The Athletic, causing the rookie first-round pick to be held out of the final two days of mandator minicamp. All signs are that McMillan's absence from on-field work is purely precautionary, but the next chance to see him at team practices won't come until training camp in July. A minor injury at this stage of the summer doesn't move the needle in terms of projecting McMillan's production Year 1, so if an abundance of caution causes his ADP to slide in early fantasy drafts it could be an opportunity to pounce. |
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Jalen Coker Jalen Coker Returns to practice
Wed, Jun 11, 2025, 1:13 PM
Coker (undisclosed) participated in 7-on-7 drills Wednesday, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Analysis: Kaye notes that Coker "looked fast" and seems to have recovered from the soft-tissue injury that limited his participation in OTAs. He impressed as an undrafted rookie last year but will still need to fight for first-team reps during training camp, competing with Tetairoa McMillan, Adam Thielen and Xavier Legette. |
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Tetairoa McMillan Tetairoa McMillan Not practicing Wednesday
Wed, Jun 11, 2025, 12:47 PM
McMillian (undisclosed) is not participating in Wednesday's minicamp session as a precautionary measure after he accidentally collided with a defensive back Tuesday, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Analysis: Carolina's team spokesman labeled McMillan's absence "precautionary." It's possible the rookie first-round pick could be sidelined again for the team's final offseason practice Thursday, but it appears he's only dealing with a minor issue and will be a full-go for the start of training camp. At 6-foot-4, 219 pounds, McMillan enters the league as one of the NFL's largest receivers. No. 8 overall draft capital essentially assures him an immediate starting role in the Panthers' wide receiver corps, which returns Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker (undisclosed) while adding 29-year-old slot specialist Hunter Renfrow. Expectations are high for McMillan, as it would be disappointing if he doesn't quickly emerge as Bryce Young's top target and help the third-year quarterback take another step forward after his encouraging end to the 2024 season. McMillan's fantasy value Year 1 will depend as much on own play as Young's development, however. |
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Jalen Coker Jalen Coker Still working on the side
Thu, Jun 5, 2025, 9:37 PM
Coker (undisclosed) continues to work off to the side during OTAs, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: The wide receiver was also only getting in limited work in late May during OTAs. Though he's likely behind Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette and Adam Thielen on Carolina's depth chart, Coker is definitely in the mix after catching 32 passes for 478 yards and two scores as a rookie in 2024. |
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Tommy Tremble Tommy Tremble Expected back by during preseason
Tue, Jun 3, 2025, 3:09 PM
Panthers head coach Dave Canales said Tuesday that Tremble (back) is expected to retake the field during the preseason but isn't likely to be ready for the start of training camp, Sheena Quick of Fox Sports Radio 1340 reports.
Analysis: Tremble underwent surgery to address a back issue mid-May and while it was initially reported that he was on track for the start of training camp, it sounds like the veteran tight end's recovery will stretch until late August. That opens the door for second-year pro Ja'Tavion Sanders and rookie fifth-rounder Mitchell Evans to compete for expanded first-team reps, and potentially even expanded regular-season roles if they can impress in those opportunities. Tremble is the best blocker of Carolina's tight end corps, which will assure him a significant role on offense once fully healthy. |
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Jimmy Horn Jimmy Horn Dealing with hamstring injury
Tue, Jun 3, 2025, 2:11 PM
Horn suffered a hamstring injury at Panthers' OTAs and didn't practice Tuesday, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Analysis: Carolina used the 208th overall pick in April's NFL Draft to select Horn out of Colorado. The rookie is expected to serve as a situational deep threat and potential return man behind wide receivers Adam Thielen, Xavier Legette and first-round rookie Tetairoa McMillan. |
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Jalen Coker Jalen Coker Dealing with injury
Tue, May 27, 2025, 3:55 PM
Coker was spotted working off to the side of Panthers' practice Tuesday due to a soft-tissue injury, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Analysis: The severity of Coker's soft-tissue injury is currently unknown, but it's a positive sign that he was able to work off to the side rather than sit out of practice entirely. The second-year wideout from Holy Cross was expected to compete for snaps in a crowded Panthers wide receiver corps that includes 2025 first-round pick Tetairoa McMillan, Xavier Legette and Adam Thielen throughout the summer. However, with this injury, Coker may fall behind in the competition if he's unable to return to the field soon. |
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Xavier Legette Xavier Legette Impressing at camp
Tue, May 27, 2025, 3:44 PM
Head coach Dave Canales told reporters Tuesday that Legette (foot) has looked "big and fast" this offseason, Anthony Rizzuti of USA Today reports.
Analysis: The 2024 first-round pick from South Carolina underwent offseason foot surgery, but he now appears to have fully recovered. Legette showed flashes of brilliance throughout his rookie campaign, recording 44 receptions for 497 yards and four touchdowns across 16 games. However, he struggled to be a consistent receiving threat, dropping eight passes. With the addition of 2025 first-round wideout Tetairoa McMillan, Legette is expected to have more opportunities to showcase his big-play ability on a more consistent basis. |
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Tommy Tremble Tommy Tremble Expected back for training camp
Tue, May 27, 2025, 1:07 PM
Coach Dave Canales revealed Tuesday that Tremble underwent a successful procedure on his back last week, Joe Person of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: While the report didn't detail the back issue addressed by the tight end's recent surgery, Canales indicated that Tremble is expected to be ready at some point in training camp. Once the 2021 third-rounder returns to the field, he'll reclaim his role in a TE corps that returns Ja'Tavion Sanders and now includes 2025 fifth-rounder Mitchell Evans. In 12 contests last season, Tremble recorded 23 catches (on 32 targets) for 234 yards and two touchdowns, while Sanders put up a 33-342-1 receiving line in 16 games. |
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Moose Muhammad Moose Muhammad Reverts to IR
Wed, May 21, 2025, 7:20 PM
Muhammad (undisclosed) reverted to Carolina's injured reserve Wednesday.
Analysis: Muhammad will remain with the Panthers after going unclaimed on waivers. He signed with the team as an undrafted free agent in April and will now be forced to miss the entirety of the upcoming season unless he's waived with a settlement. |
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Jonathon Brooks Jonathon Brooks Won't play in 2025 after PUP move
Thu, May 8, 2025, 12:06 PM
The Panthers are placing Brooks on the physically unable to perform list, ruling him out for the entire 2025 season.
Analysis: Players can return from the PUP list when placed on it at the start of training camp or before Week 1, but not if they get the designation this early in the offseason. Brooks tore the ACL in his right knee each of the past two years, bringing his college career to an early conclusion and then limiting his rookie season to three games. The Panthers took him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 46th overall, but they'll now move forward with Chuba Hubbard, Rico Dowdle and Trevor Etienne as the main candidates to take carries in 2025. |
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Hunter Renfrow Hunter Renfrow Returns to NFL, signs with Carolina
Sun, Apr 27, 2025, 7:16 PM
Renfrow and the Panthers agreed on a one-year contract Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Renfrow will make his return to the NFL after taking a season off in 2024. The wide receiver most recently reeled in 25 of 37 targets for 255 yards over 17 games with the Raiders in 2023. Renfrow's best campaign came in 2021, when he caught 103 of 128 targets for 1,038 yards and 10 touchdowns with Las Vegas while appearing in the Pro Bowl after that season. The 29-year-old is a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, native and attended Clemson for college, so he'll now be looking to get his career back on track with what is effectively his hometown team in 2025. |
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Raheem Blackshear Raheem Blackshear Re-signs with Carolina
Tue, Apr 1, 2025, 8:32 AM
Blackshear is signing a one-year contract with the Panthers, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: The 2022 UDFA played 41 games for Carolina the past three seasons, taking 68 touches for 341 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns, 66 kickoff returns for 1,734 yards and 23 punt returns for 200 yards. Blackshear returned both kicks and punts in 2024, but he didn't get a restricted-free-agent tender earlier this offseason and now returns to the Panthers on a cheaper contract. He'll likely be third or fourth on the depth chart at running back, behind Chuba Hubbard and Rico Dowdle at the very least. |
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David Moore David Moore Back with Carolina
Tue, Mar 18, 2025, 1:26 PM
The Panthers and Moore agreed to terms on a one-year contract Tuesday.
Analysis: Moore suited up for all 17 of Carolina's regular-season games in 2024, in which span he put up a 32-351-3 receiving line on 57 targets. The 30-year-old will spend the offseason working to again entrench himself as a reliable depth option behind Adam Thielen and Xavier Legette (foot), with Jalen Coker currently looking like the favorite for the No. 3 role. The Panthers remain a likely candidate to add further playmakers to the wide receiver corps this offseason, whether via April's draft or more free agent deals. |
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Chuba Hubbard Chuba Hubbard Gets new backup
Thu, Mar 13, 2025, 12:16 PM
The Panthers are signing Rico Dowdle to replace Miles Sanders (free agent) as Hubbard's backup, ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Hubbard and Dowdle both were lead backs last year, but there doesn't seem to be any doubt about whose show it will be in 2025, considering the former signed a four-year, $33.2 million extension. Dowdle settled for a one-year deal with a reported base value of $3 million, which suggests NFL teams view him as a backup-caliber player even after he ran for 1,079 yards in Dallas last year. Hubbard is the better pure runner, and generally a superior player, but it is possible he cedes more of the backfield work in 2025 (compared to last season) if Carolina's coaches like Dowdle more than they liked Sanders. There's no indication Hubbard's calf and knee injuries from the end of 2024 will be a problem for the upcoming season, whereas 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks figures to miss significant time after tearing his right ACL for the second time in two years. |
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Adam Thielen Adam Thielen Will be back with Carolina
Wed, Mar 12, 2025, 9:17 PM
Thielen finalized a restructured contract with the Panthers on Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Thielen said in early February that he wants to play for at least another year, and he'll be able to do that for a third campaign in Carolina on a revised contract. The veteran wideout's 48 catches and 615 yards last season were his fewest since 2019, but he played in only 10 games due to a hamstring injury and still managed to catch five touchdowns. Despite the missed time, Thielen led Carolina in both receiving yards and receiving TDs last season, and he'll likely continue to be a top target for up-and-coming QB Bryce Young next year. |
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Rico Dowdle Rico Dowdle Strikes deal with Carolina
Wed, Mar 12, 2025, 6:14 PM
Dowdle agreed to a one-year, $2.7 million contract with the Panthers on Wednesday, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Analysis: Dowdle emerged as the Cowboys' top running back last season and rushed for a career-high 1,079 yards on 235 carries (4.6 YPC) with two touchdowns while adding 249 yards on 39 catches and three touchdowns. In Carolina, he'll be joining a backfield headlined by Chuba Hubbard (calf/knee), who had his own breakout last season with a career-best 1,195 rushing yards on 250 carries and 10 touchdowns. Dowdle's fantasy stock may take a hit as a result of being part of a timeshare with Hubbard in a best-case scenario, but the signing gives the up-and-coming Panthers a potentially formidable 1-2 punch out of the backfield. Jonathon Brooks, whom the Panthers selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, is expected to miss most of next season while recovering from his second torn ACL. |
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Dan Chisena Dan Chisena Returning to Carolina
Wed, Mar 12, 2025, 3:38 PM
Chisena re-signed with the Panthers on a one-year contract Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Chisena began the 2024 season in Arizona before joining Carolina's practice squad mid-October, ultimately appearing in six games with the Panthers. He secured three of four targets for 37 yards in that span. Now, Chisena will work to put together a strong offseason and earn another reserve role on offense during the 2025 campaign. |
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Tommy Tremble Tommy Tremble Gets two-year deal with Carolina
Sat, Mar 8, 2025, 5:57 PM
The Panthers re-signed Tremble to a two-year contract Saturday, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Analysis: Tremble is coming off a solid 2024 campaign in which he logged 23 catches (on 32 targets) for 234 yards and two touchdowns across 12 regular-season games. The 2021 third-round pick has registered at least 20 catches in three of the first four seasons of his NFL career. Tremble and Ja'Tavion Sanders will serve as the Panthers' top two tight ends for the 2025 season. |
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Raheem Blackshear Raheem Blackshear Won't be tendered
Sun, Mar 2, 2025, 11:37 AM
The Panthers aren't planning to tender Blackshear this offseason, which will make him an unrestricted free agent, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Blackshear entered the offseason as a restricted free agent, so the Panthers could ensure they keep him by tendering him and matching any offer from another club. However, Carolina doesn't appear as if it will that direction, which will instead allow Blackshear to enter unrestricted free agency. The 26-year-old saw limited work on offense in 2024 (his third NFL campaign), compiling 15 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown over 16 contests without getting any looks in the passing game. However, he served as Carolina's top kickoff and punt returner, so the Panthers will need to find a replacement for those roles if they indeed elect to part ways with Blackshear. |
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