A key Carolina Panthers veteran is projected as being the odd man out in the latest roster projection.
With just one more preseason game left on the schedule, the chances are running out for players to make an impact. The Carolina Panthers will have a total of four preseason games, giving Dave Canales and his staff the chance to evaluate players on the roster for a fourth time.
But as the preseason wraps up, teams will have to cut the roster down to 53 players by Sunday night's deadline. There will be some real tough decisions for Canales and the coaching staff to make. The battles are ongoing as we enter this week, and it could come down to crunch time for these decisions.
One position group on the roster that could see a surprise cut is at wide receiver.
Tetairoa McMillan is coming off a huge rookie season for the Panthers and will be the top receiver on the depth chart. But after him, there are some questions about who will be behind him and who will make the roster.
Jalen Coker and Xavier Legette are essentially locks for the roster, leaving three or so spots. There are some intriguing candidates to fill those spots, and in his latest roster projection, ESPN's Mike Kaye has a key veteran missing out.
Kaye believes that David Moore could be a cut candidate as he didn't include him on the 53-man projection. Here is what he said about Moore and the situation:
The top trio of McMillan, Coker and Legette was solidified when third-round rookie Chris Brazzell II underwent season-ending knee surgery earlier this month. Reed has flashed regularly during the summer, and Horn has had a nice preseason. Tremayne can play all three wide receiver spots and is among Carolina's top special teams players, so David Moore might need to settle for a practice squad spot.
Kaye has McMillan, Coker, Legette, Brycen Tremayne, Ja'seem Reed, and Jimmy Horn Jr. all making the team.
Moore has drawn praise already this offseason by Canales. He's been solid in camp which makes it surprising to see Kaye have him on the way out. But the Panthers could want to take a shot at a younger player with potential.
The NFL roster cut deadline is set for Sunday, August 30, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. ET.
