4 biggest surprise cuts for the Panthers

On Sunday evening, the Carolina Panthers delayed revealing their 53-man roster for the 2026 season, far past the league's 6 p.m. ET deadline. Despite the delay, the team made their cutdown official, and the roster changes included a few surprising departures. These are the Panthers' four most unexpected cuts of the weekend.

First, wide receiver Ja seem Reed made an impression throughout the spring and summer workouts this offseason, proving himself as an emerging talent in the wideout room. Even general manager Dan Morgan praised him during the second preseason game broadcast. Yet, Reed is now up for grabs on the waiver wire, making his departure particularly surprising.

Second, defensive lineman Jared Harrison-Hunte, an undrafted free-agent addition from 2025, put up a solid performance during the preseason. He seemed like a plausible candidate to secure a spot in the already thin defensive line room. However, the Panthers opted to acquire TeRah Edwards in a trade with the Los Angeles Chargers, resulting in Harrison-Hunte's cut.

Third, linebacker Trevin Wallace and cornerback Claudin Cherelus appeared to be in the mix for one of the two inside linebacker spots. When the Panthers reached an agreement with veteran Bobby Okereke on Saturday, Wallace was left on waivers. His cut might have come as a surprise, as he could have provided valuable depth to the middle of the defense.

Lastly, cornerback Corey Thornton faced a similar situation to Wallace. He competed against Chau Smith-Wade for the top slot cornerback position, and Thornton was ultimately on the wire. Like Wallace, Thornton's performance during his rookie season last year was commendable, yet he, too, is now up for grabs.