Panthers cut 3 WRs, including Brenton Bersin

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) The Carolina Panthers cut Brenton Bersin, Damiere Byrd and Mike Brown on Saturday, leaving them with five wide receivers on the 53-man roster.

Bersin, who graduated from the same school as Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, caught 13 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown last season. They are the only two Wofford graduates to play in the NFL.

There were no surprising cuts, although the team did keep rookie Brandon Wegher over Jordan Todman at running back. Todman was cut despite a nifty 48-yard touchdown run in the preseason finale against Pittsburgh.

The Panthers also cut tight ends Marcus Lucas and Scott Simonson, offensive linemen David Foucault, Martin Wallace, Ricky Henry and Jordan McCray, defensive tackles Terry Redden and Chas Alecxih, defensive end Rakim Cox, linebackers Jason Trusnik, Adarius Glanton and Brian Blechen, cornerbacks T.J. Heath, Carrington Byndom and Lou Young and safety Marcus Ball.

Center Brian Folkerts was waived-injured, and defensive end Arthur Miley was placed on injured reserve.

The Panthers did not make general manager Dave Gettleman or coach Ron Rivera available for interviews on Saturday to discuss the team's roster moves.

Carolina's wide receiving group has been up in the air since Kelvin Benjamin went down with a season-ending knee injury in training camp. Benjamin was the team's No. 1 wide receiver last season with 73 receptions for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns.

Wide receiver Corey Brown made the roster despite a shaky preseason in which he dropped five passes, including two that would have been touchdowns. Veterans Jerricho Cotchery and Ted Ginn Jr. also made the cut, along with rookie Devin Funchess and Kevin Norwood, who was acquired last week in a trade with Seattle. It remains unclear who'll be Carolina's starting wide receivers entering next weekend's season opener at Jacksonville.

It's possible the Panthers still could look to upgrade their wide receiver position in the next few days depending what players become available.

Carolina kept two undrafted rookies - Wegher and safety Dean Marlowe.

Trusnik was a free agent signing this past offseason and Glanton played some last season for Carolina at linebacker. But the team went with rookie David Mayo and veteran special teamer Ben Jacobs at linebacker instead.

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