Panthers Suddenly Have 3 Open Roster Spots. What is Dan Morgan Planning?

The Carolina Panthers came out of the bye week hoping to get a little healthier. Instead, Dan Morgan has some roster decisions to make.

Carolina placed defensive tackle Cam Jackson on injured reserve Tuesday with a shoulder injury, leaving the Panthers with just 50 players on the active roster. That gives them three open spots, and it just so happens that three players are working their way back.

Trevor Etienne, Taylor Moton, and Tershawn Wharton were all designated to return to practice Tuesday. So, yeah, the easy answer is right there. Those three guys come back, and those three spots are gone. But I don't think Morgan has to play it that way.

The Panthers don't have to rush this

Etienne looks like the first guy who will be back. Dave Canales said Monday that the rookie running back was ready to be activated, so it wouldn't be surprising at all if one of those spots belongs to him.

Moton and Wharton are different situations. Neither participated in training camp, with Moton dealing with blood clots discovered during the offseason and Wharton coming back from neck surgery. Getting them back on the practice field is one thing, but being ready to play in an NFL game is another.

The Panthers have three weeks to make that call after opening their practice windows. That gives Carolina some time to see where both guys are instead of immediately throwing them onto the active roster. It also means Morgan doesn't have to be in a hurry to fill every open spot.

Could Morgan have something else in mind?

I'm not saying Morgan is about to go out and make some huge move. Three open roster spots don't automatically mean a trade is coming, but we've seen enough from Morgan to know he's going to keep messing with this roster if he thinks he can make it better.

The Panthers made several moves during the bye week, and with injuries starting to pile up, there are still a few areas where another body wouldn't hurt. Xavier Legette, Jaycee Horn, and Mike Jackson have all been dealing with injuries, and now Cam Jackson is headed to IR.

Depending on how some of those situations play out, Morgan could decide one of these spots is better used somewhere else, at least for now. He doesn't have to make all three decisions right away. Carolina can activate Etienne, see how Moton and Wharton look, and still have some room to work with.

That's what makes this worth watching.

Maybe it ends up being that simple. Etienne, Moton and Wharton come back, and there are your three spots. But with the way Morgan has worked this roster, I'm not ready to assume that's how it plays out just yet.

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