Carolina Panthers make six roster moves after first two training camp practices
The Carolina Panthers made six roster moves Saturday as the team prepares for its second week of training camp.
Read more These 2 NC universities rank among the best in the US for value
With injuries piling up on defense, the team added defensive linemen Elijah Garcia and Kyon Barrs and defensive back DeCarlos Nicholson to the roster. To make room for the new trio, the team waived offensive tackle Derrell Bailey, linebacker Jared Bartlett and defensive back Mike Reid.
Those moves followed Friday’s pair of post-practice transactions, which featured the Panthers claiming offensive tackle Ryan Hayes off waivers from the Tennessee Titans and cutting undrafted wideout Kobe Prentice.
With six projected starters on injury lists — including Nic Scourton (knee) on the season-ending injured reserve — Carolina has had to be creative with the bottom of the roster to fill in camp reps. Guard Rob Hunt and cornerback Mike Jackson also missed Friday’s practice with back tightness.
Garcia is the most experienced of the new recruits. The Rice alum has played in 17 NFL games (three starts) during his journeyman career.
The 28-year-old defensive lineman, listed as 6-foot-5 and 302 pounds, has had stints with the Los Angeles Rams, Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons since going undrafted in 2022. He’s produced 28 tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in his career. He will likely fill the rep void left by Turk Wharton (PUP – neck) and Bobby Brown (NFI – hamstring).
Joining Garcia as a new face on the line is Barrs, who spent the spring in the UFL. The 6-foot-2, 290-pound lineman played four years at Arizona before finishing his college career with Southern California in 2023. He has yet to play a regular-season snap in the NFL but registered 26 tackles and a half-sack for the Houston Gamblers in the spring league. He is likely to work behind Derrick Brown, LaBryan Ray, Lee Hunter and Cam Jackson on the line.
Read more Hearing set on Charlotte developer’s planned 500-acre Lake Norman mega community
Nicholson is an undrafted rookie who spent the spring with the Cleveland Browns. The former Southern California cornerback had a six-year college career, which featured stops Mississippi Gulf Community College and Mississippi State. Nicholson has impressive size at 6-3 and 200 pounds. He could work with the third-string defense as the team looks to fill in snaps for Jackson and Jaycee Horn (NFI – foot).
All three players worked out for the Panthers after practice on Friday.
Bailey, an offensive lineman, worked out for the Panthers on Thursday. He was signed Friday and participated in the team’s second training camp practice. That served as his entire tenure in Charlotte.
Barlett, an inside linebacker, spent the entire spring in Carolina. He participated in the first two training camp practices but was clearly behind the likes of Claudin Cherelus, Bam Martin-Scott, Maema Njongmeta and seventh-round pick Jackson Kuwatch in the positional pecking order for a backup job. Bartlett was signed to a future/reserve deal after a stint with the Arizona Cardinals.
Reid, the longest-tenured player in this batch of moves, was playing safety for the Panthers this offseason. Originally signed as an undrafted cornerback last year, Reid spent most of the 2025 season bouncing on and off the practice squad. The South Dakota alum has never appeared in an NFL game.
All three players will be subject to waivers.
The Panthers moved on from Bailey partially due to the claiming of Hayes on Friday. Hayes, a 2023 seventh-round pick of the Miami Dolphins, will help fill out the offensive tackle depth chart. The 6-5, 300-pound lineman has appeared in one game despite playing for four different teams since entering the league.
Prentice, an undrafted rookie out of Baylor, spent the entire spring with the Panthers. He was buried deep on a depth chart that features Tetairoa McMillan, Jalen Coker, Chris Brazzell, Xavier Legette, John Metchie, Jimmy Horn Jr., David Moore, Dan Chisena, Ainias Smith and Malick Meiga.
Read more Carolina Panthers make six roster moves after first two training camp practices
This story was originally published July 25, 2026 at 11:35 AM.
