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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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Xavier Legette Xavier Legette Recovering from foot surgery
Tue, Feb 25, 2025, 12:27 PM
Panthers general manager Dan Morgan said Tuesday at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine that Legette is recovering from offseason foot surgery, Mike Kaye of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Analysis: Legette underwent the surgery to address a lingering issue he played through during the 2024 campaign. The first-rounder is coming off an underwhelming rookie campaign, having put together just a 49-497-4 receiving line on 87 targets across 16 regular-season appearances. Per Steve Reed of the Associated Press, Morgan said Legette's recovery timeline should allow him to return to on-field activities in the near future, though head coach Dave Canales said he's unsure whether the wideout will be ready for the start of OTAs, per David Newton of ESPN.com. |
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Andy Dalton Andy Dalton Inks two-year extension
Tue, Feb 18, 2025, 3:14 PM
The Panthers signed Dalton on a two-year, $8 million contract extension Tuesday.
Analysis: Dalton's new extension reportedly includes $6 million guaranteed and carries a maximum value of $10 million with incentives, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. In nine appearances with Carolina over the last two seasons, the 37-year-old signal-caller has tossed nine touchdowns and six interceptions, with perhaps his most impactful contributions coming as a valued veteran mentor for Bryce Young, who notably improved Year 2. Dalton will remain with the Panthers as both a backup, and as a hopeful pillar of support for Young in the quarterback room. |
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Adam Thielen Adam Thielen Plans to continue career
Thu, Feb 6, 2025, 2:03 PM
Thielen relayed Thursday that he intends to continue his playing career during the 2025 season, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Thielen has one year remaining on the three-year, $25 million deal that he signed with the Panthers in March 2023. In two campaigns in Carolina, he has one 1,000-yard season under his belt (2023), averaged 10.8 YPC and 8.2 YPT and scored nine touchdowns in 27 games. Even as he enters his age-35 season, Thielen clearly still has something to give to what appears to be an ascendant offense under the direction of 2023 top overall pick Bryce Young. |
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Brycen Tremayne Brycen Tremayne Joins up with Carolina
Tue, Feb 4, 2025, 2:03 PM
The Panthers signed Tremayne to a reserve/future contract Tuesday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: Tremayne has spent most of the past two seasons on Washington's practice squad, but he's now getting a fresh start in Carolina. He played a total of 19 offensive snaps over two appearances with the Commanders in 2024, catching his only target for a loss of two yards. |
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James Mitchell James Mitchell Headed to Carolina
Tue, Jan 21, 2025, 7:37 PM
The Panthers signed Mitchell to a reserve/future contract Tuesday, Darin Gantt of the team's official site reports.
Analysis: Mitchell spent the entire 2024 regular season on the Lions' practice squad after failing to make the 53-man roster at the end of training camp. He was elevated for Week 11 against the Jaguars and played 24 offensive snaps but did not show up in the box score otherwise. Mitchell will be a part of the Panthers' 90-man roster when the new league year starts March 12 and will participate in OTAs, minicamp and training camp ahead of the 2025 campaign. |
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David Moore David Moore Productive with Panthers
Thu, Jan 16, 2025, 3:27 PM
Moore caught 32 of his 57 targets for 351 yards and three touchdowns across 17 regular-season games in 2024.
Analysis: Moore had one of the most productive seasons of his career with Carolina in 2024, recording his highest totals in receptions, yards and touchdowns since his 2020 campaign with Seattle. He benefitted from increased offensive opportunities following Diontae Johnson's trade to Baltimore in late October and injuries to Jalen Coker and Adam Thielen throughout the season, playing the second-most offensive snaps (545) among Carolina's wide receivers. After completing his first season with the Panthers, Moore is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The 30-year-old is likely to sign a short-term deal and compete for another depth role in 2025, whether in Carolina or with another team. |
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Deven Thompkins Deven Thompkins Plays minimal role in Carolina
Thu, Jan 16, 2025, 3:02 PM
Thompkins caught all four of his targets for 20 yards and rushed two times for seven yards over seven regular-season games in 2024. He also tallied 134 kick-return yards and 19 punt-return yards.
Analysis: Thompkins spent most of his 2024 campaign bouncing between the Panthers' practice squad and active roster, appearing in seven consecutive games from Week 9 to Week 16. The 25-year-old played a minimal role on Carolina's offense, logging just six touches over 51 offensive snaps. He also wasn't much of a factor in the return game, stepping in for Raheem Blackshear and serving as the team's top return specialist in Weeks 14 and 15. Thompkins is now set to be a restricted free agent this summer, but it wouldn't be surprising if he lands elsewhere, as he was a healthy scratch in the Panthers' final two games of the season. |
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Dan Chisena Dan Chisena Sees more offensive work in 2024
Thu, Jan 16, 2025, 2:48 PM
Chisena caught three of his four targets for 37 yards across six regular-season games in 2024.
Analysis: Chisena joined the Panthers' practice squad in mid-October after beginning his 2024 campaign in Arizona. The Penn State product went on to appear in six of Carolina's final seven games this season, recording the first three receptions of his NFL career while also contributing on special teams (80 special-teams snaps). After inking a deal to join the Panthers' active roster Dec. 17, Chisena is set to be a restricted free agent this summer, meaning Carolina can match any offer he receives from another team. If the 27-year-old remains with the Panthers, he'll likely compete for a depth role in the team's wide-receiver room throughout the offseason. |
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Andy Dalton Andy Dalton Starts five games in 2024
Thu, Jan 16, 2025, 2:34 PM
Dalton completed 106 of his 160 pass attempts for 989 yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions over six regular-season games in 2024. He also rushed 11 times for 34 yards and lost two fumbles.
Analysis: After the Panthers lost their first two games of the regular season by a combined 60 points, 2023 first-overall pick Bryce Young was benched in favor of Dalton, who then made five consecutive starts before injuring his thumb in a car accident. Dalton initially provided Carolina's offense with a much-needed spark, throwing for five touchdowns and one interception over his first two starts, before regressing in his final three games. He's now finished the final season of a two-year, $10 million deal signed with Carolina in 2023, making him an unrestricted free agent this summer. The 37-year-old is likely to serve as a backup quarterback again in 2025, whether with the Panthers or another team, if he decides to return for his 15th NFL season. |
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Dax Milne Dax Milne Sticks in Carolina on futures deal
Tue, Jan 7, 2025, 9:47 AM
The Panthers signed Milne to a reserve/futures contract Tuesday, David Newton of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Milne originally signed onto Carolina's practice squad back in October, and now he'll start the new league year in the same place. His experience as a returner could help his case to join a shallow group of wide receivers in 2025. |
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