Panthers might be shopping for a safety
CHARLOTTE -- The Carolina Panthers knew going into the season safety was going to be a weak spot.
The players they kept Saturday illustrate how much of a problem it still could be.
The Panthers kept four safeties, starters Chris Harris and Deke Cooper, injured Nate Salley and undrafted rookie Quinton Teal. While each of them have their merits, it's hardly a star-studded group, and one that they'll likely be looking to add to in the coming days.
"I don't know. We obviously look, not at position, but any player that comes up that has a chance to make us better," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said when asked about the chance to add there.
• GOOD STORIES STICK: Two players who were viewed as spare parts by some held on to make the team -- defensive end Otis Grigsby and wide receiver Chris Horn.
Horn was out of the league last year after getting cut by New Orleans, and was released by Kansas City eight times as he bounced back and forth from practice squads and camp rosters.
Grigsby went to camp with the Panthers last year, but they cut him at the final roster reduction. They brought him back to the practice squad the final two weeks of the year, and then added him to this year's roster. He's also been in camp with Miami and Atlanta, but hasn't played in a regular-season game.
• EXTRA POINTS: Teams have until this morning to put in claims on players released Saturday, and the Panthers will know at noon who cleared. That's when they'll likely start assembling their practice squad.
Among the players cut, expect them to try to retain offensive lineman D'Anthony Batiste, wide receiver Taye Biddle, guard Bobby Harris and safety C.J. Wilson. They'll add another quarterback, though that might or night not be Dalton Bell, who was in camp.
The Panthers released 21 players Saturday and placed offensive lineman Jeremy Bridges on the reserve/suspended by team list.
A look at the 21 who are no longer here:
QB Dalton Bell, RB Eric Shelton, FBs Steven Jackson and Billy Latsko, TE Chad Upshaw, WRs Taye Biddle and Kevin Youngblood, OLs Kenyatta Walker, D'Anthony Batiste, Rueben Riley, Thed Watson and Bobby Harris, DE Dave Ball, DT Gary Gibson, LBs Mickey Pimentel and Phillipe Gardent, CBs Christian Morton and Derrick Strait, Ss Cam Newton and C.J. Wilson.
DT Stephen Williams was placed on injured reserve.
A look at the Panthers projected depth chart, after Saturday's final cuts. More changes could still come in the next few days, but this is what they have to deal with for now:
PANTHERS ROSTER AS OF Sept. 1, 2007
Total of 53 on roster (plus suspended OL Jeremy Bridges)
Offense
QB -- Jake Delhomme, David Carr
RB -- DeShaun Foster, DeAngelo Williams, Nick Goings, Alex Haynes
FB -- Brad Hoover
WR -- Steve Smith, Keary Colbert, Ryne Robinson
WR -- Drew Carter, Dwayne Jarrett, Chris Horn
TE -- Jeff King, Michael Gaines, Dante Rosario
LT -- Travelle Wharton, Rashad Butler
LG -- Mike Wahle, Will Montgomery
C -- Justin Hartwig, Geoff Hangartner
RG -- Ryan Kalil, Evan Mathis
RT -- Jordan Gross, Jeremy Bridges (susp)
Defense
DE -- Julius Peppers, Charles Johnson, Otis Grigsby
DT -- Maake Kemoeatu, Kindal Moorehead
DT -- Kris Jenkins, Damione Lewis
DE -- Mike Rucker, Stanley McClover
SLB -- Thomas Davis, James Anderson, Brandon Jamison
MLB -- Dan Morgan, Adam Seward, Tim Shaw
WLB -- Jon Beason, Na'il Diggs
CB -- Ken Lucas, Curtis Deloatch
CB -- Chris Gamble, Richard Marshall
FS -- Deke Cooper, Quinton Teal
SS -- Chris Harris, Nate Salley
Special Teams
K -- John Kasay
P -- Jason Baker
LS -- Jason Kyle
Injured reserve
QB -- Brett Basanez, DE Rondell Biggs, DT Stephen Williams.
Reserve/Non-football illness
WR -- Josh Davis (appendix)
This story was originally published September 2, 2007 at 12:08 AM with the headline "Panthers might be shopping for a safety."