Panthers Officially Cut Roster Down To 53 Players

The Carolina Panthers have officially cut their roster down to 53 players ahead of today’s deadline. 

Roster Cuts:

1. WR Jaydon Mickens 
2. QB Taylor Heinicke 
3. CB Corn Elder 
4. TE Jason Vander Laan
5. C John Yarbrough 
6. TE Cole Hunt 
7. WR Andre Levrone 
8. OL Parker Collins 
9. RB Cameron Artis-Payne
10. CB Lorenzo Doss 
11. WR Aldrick Robinson
12. LS Andrew DePaola
13. LB Brandon Bell
14. G Tyler Catalina
15. DT Woodrow Hamilton
16. G Taylor Hearn
17. WR Damion Jeanpiere
18. CB Ryan Pulley
19. WR Rashad Ross
20. LB Antoine Williams
21. G Kofi Amichia, waived/injured
22. S Damian Parms, waived/injured
23. S Quin Blanding
24. WR DeAndrew White 
25. CB Josh Thornton 
26. TE Marcus Baugh, waived/injured
27. LB Sione Teuhema
28. DE Bijhon Jackson 
29. WR Terry Godwin
30. DE Bryan Cox
31. LB Jared Norris
32. S Cole Luke
33. G Rishard Cook
34. S Corrion Ballard
35. CB Josh Thornton

Artis-Payne, 29, is a former fifth-round pick of the Panthers back in 2015. He played out the final year of his four-year rookie contract and had been testing the open market as an unrestricted free agent of the first time in his NFL career when he re-signed with the Panthers in 2019.

In 2018, Artis-Payne appeared in nine games for the Panthers and rushed for 69 yards on 19 carries (3.6 YPC) to go along with three receptions for 15 yards receiving and one touchdown.

Mickens signed with the Panthers during training camp and was competing for a job as a returner and backup receiver. 

Mickens, 25, wound up signing on with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent out of Washington back in 2016. He was waived at the start of the season and spent his rookie year on their practice squad before returning to the team on a future/reserve contract in 2017.

The Raiders waived him with an injury designation coming out of the preseason before eventually cutting him loose with an injury settlement. The Jaguars signed Mickens to their practice squad soon after and he was later promoted to their active roster.

Mickens suffered a fractured ankle last year that resulted in him being placed on injured reserve.

In 2018, Mickens appeared in five games for the Jaguars and totaled 118 kick return yards and another 59 punt return yards and no touchdowns.

Heinicke, 26, wound up signing on with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent out of Old Dominion back in 2015. He managed to make the 53-man roster during his rookie season but wasn’t active for a single game.

The Vikings elected to waive Heinicke with an injury designation coming out of the preseason in 2017 before eventually cutting him loose with an injury settlement.

Heinicke had brief stints on the Patriots and Texans before being claimed by the Panthers last year. 

In 2018, Heinicke appeared in six games and completed 61.4 of his pass attempts for 320 yards and one touchdown and three interceptions.