The Carolina Panthers have made some significant moves as they pare down their roster to meet the NFL's 53-man deadline, and it's out with the old and, well, less old. Among those cut were quarterbacks Jack Plummer and Bryce Perkins, a move that leaves the team with Bryce Young and Andy Dalton as the Panthers' signal-caller duo heading into the regular season. With eyes fixed firmly on the future, the Panthers' front office seems to be valuing experience and potential in equal measure.
According to WCNC, the team waived a total of 17 players and released one more, in addition to one release from injured reserve. Plummer, game-ready from his time on both the practice squad and active roster last season, and Perkins, a late preseason addition, did not make the cut. This decision, highlights the ever-nuanced balancing act between raw talent and the reassuring hand of experience.
As the Charlotte Observer tracked in their live blog of the roster changes, these were parts of initial cuts which also included kicker Matthew Wright and Gardner-Webb receiver TJ Luther. A real-time glimpse of the trimming process showed the Panthers' commitment to constructing a competitive squad – a process that is as much about letting go as it is about acquiring talent.
In a move that's certainly struck a chord, local North Carolina product Shy Tuttle was released as part of this roster rebuild. Tuttle, according to WBTV, "has more than four years of service time in the NFL, he is not subject to waivers and is free to sign with any team." His departure underscores the Panthers' clear-eyed and, one might argue, unsentimental approach to team-making. No matter the local ties or backstories, performance and fit seem to be driving the roster decisions.
