Carolina Panthers Roster Cuts Tracker 2026: Keeping tabs on all of the moves Dave Canales and Dan Morgan make to get to 53 players
The Carolina Panthers have started the process from trimming the roster down from 90 players to the initial 53-man roster. Here are the following moves the Panthers have made.
The Carolina Panthers have wrapped up the preseason slate and now comes the hard part in which head coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan are tasked with trimming the roster down to the initial 53-man roster. And note, this is the INITIAL roster, changes can and will be made from the group that remains.
With that being said, some of the cuts are starting to get reported. So, let’s start tracking all of the moves being made. Make sure to bookmark this article and check back in between now and the official deadline on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Last Update: August 29 at 3:05 p.m. ET
Carolina Panthers’ 2026 official roster cut tracker
Released
Waived
Waived / Injured
Injured Reserve
- OLB Nic Scourton
- WR Chris Brazzell II
PUP List
- N/A
NFI List
- N/A
Important details to know about 2026 NFL roster cuts:
The NFL will have a single roster cut deadline instead of gradual roster cuts with multiple deadlines. Rosters must be reduced to 53 players by Sunday, Aug. 30, at 6:00 p.m. ET. The team has several different transactions they can use to make that happen. Here are the terms you need to familiarize yourself with:
Released
When a vested veteran (those who have accrued four seasons in the NFL) is cut from a team, these players are not required to pass through waivers and can immediately become unrestricted free agents. Sometimes that means they’ll sign with another team. Other times, teams can release these veterans and re-sign them after they’ve placed other players on injured reserve.
Waived
Players who have not accrued four seasons in the NFL are waived instead of being released. The other 31 NFL teams will have a chance to claim waived players on their 53-man roster by Monday Aug. 31 at 1:00 p.m. ET. If players are not claimed on waivers, they become unrestricted free agents. Team records from the previous season determine waiver priority this time of year. The team with the worst record will get the top waiver priority, in this year’s case, the Las Vegas Raiders.
Waived/Injured
If these players clear waivers, they will revert to the Panthers’ injured reserve list. They can opt to spend the season with Carolina on IR or reach an injury settlement with the team, which will pay them for the number of weeks they’ll miss with injury and make them an unrestricted free agent. Players who opt for the latter route can rejoin the team later in the season after they’re healthy.
Injured Reserve
Up to two players can be placed on IR on the day of final cuts (Sunday) and be designated to return. Teams still have the option to carry injured players on the 53-man roster, and some good reasons to do so. First, if a player is placed on IR, he is forced to miss at least four games. Second, if a player makes the initial 53 and is placed on IR on the following day, there are eight designations to return from IR, and another two for playoff teams.
Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list
Players on the Active/PUP list can be placed on the Reserve/PUP list in a move to get the roster down to 53 players. Players who are moved to the Reserve/PUP list do not count against the 53-man roster. They can attend team meetings and use team facilities for rehab, but are not allowed to practice for four weeks. After four weeks, another 21-day window opens up, where the player can practice and be activated. If they’re not activated in those 21 days, they must be placed on injured reserve for the rest of the season. Ikem Ekwonu (knee) is a player to watch for this section.
Reserve/Non-football injury/illness (NFI) lists
Players placed on the Reserve/NFI lists have to go through the same process as players on the Reserve/PUP list. They do not count toward the 53-man roster. They can attend team meetings and use facilities for rehab, but they’re not allowed to participate in practice for four weeks. After that, a four-week period opens where they can return to practice, and the team can choose to activate the player. If the player isn’t activated at the end of the second four-week period, they’ll remain on injured reserve for the rest of the season. The big difference between the NFI and PUP lists is that teams can withhold a portion of a player’s salary if they’re placed on the NFI lists. Right tackle Taylor Moton (blood clots) is an example to watch for this section.
Reserve/Suspended list
Players who are placed on the Reserve/Suspended list have to serve out an NFL suspension. Players on this list do not count toward 53-man roster limits and are not paid their base salary.
NFL practice squad rules
After the claiming period has ended at 1:00 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 31, teams are then permitted to assemble their 16-man practice squads. Here are the rules on who can be signed to the practice squad:
- Players who do not have an accrued season (I.E. rookies).
- Players who were on the active roster for fewer than nine regular-season games during their only accrued season(s).
- Up to four players per team with no more than two accrued seasons.
- Up to six players per team with no accrued season limitations (I.E. vested veterans).
We will have that tracker available on Monday once players start getting signed to the practice squad.
