The Carolina Panthers claimed former Buffalo Bills punter/kicker Kaare Vedvik off waivers a few days ago. Now that he’s passed the COVID-19 protocols, the team had to make room for Vedvik on the roster. Today, the Panthers announced they have waived running back Jordan Scarlett.
Scarlett was one of several potential roster cuts on offense we identified last week. He was picked by Carolina in the fifth round of last year’s NFL draft – a selection that never made a ton of sense given the team’s other personnel needs and the presence of Christian McCaffrey, who would go on to tally a league-high 403 touches in 2019. Meanwhile, Scarlett only played eight offensive snaps as a rookie. In a year when pro experience is critical, that low number along with no preseason games cost him dearly.
The players who benefit most from Scarlett getting cut are Reggie Bonnafon and Mike Davis, the other main contenders to be McCaffrey’s backup in 2020.
As for Vedvik, to earn a spot on the roster he’ll have to beat out rookie punter Joseph Charlton, who has a hell of a leg but also has booted a couple punts over the wall at practice.
