Panthers rule out 17 players for preseason finale vs. Bills

All, or at least most, seems to be going according to plan for the Carolina Panthers today.

The team has ruled out 17 players from this afternoon’s preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills. Those inactives are as follows:

• RB Raheem Blackshear
• RB Jonathon Brooks
• TE Ian Thomas
• TE Tommy Tremble
• OT Yosh Nijman
• G Damien Lewis
• G Cade Mays
• C Austin Corbett
• DE Jaden Crumedy
• OLB Amaré Barno
• OLB Jadeveon Clowney
• OLB D.J. Wonnum
• ILB Tae Davis
• CB Jaycee Horn
• CB Dane Jackson
• S Sam Franklin Jr.
• S Xavier Woods

While at least eight of the above inactives are projected starters for the 2024 season, the Panthers are expected to play some first-stringers at Highmark Stadium on Saturday. Among those players includes quarterback Bryce Young, whom head coach Dave Canales spoke about earlier this week.

“Operation, right?” Canales said of what he wants to see from Young in his preseason debut. “I wanna see things run smoothly. I’d wanna see just the communication, the in-between drives conversations, all that stuff that is so valuable.

“And he’s kinda been just around all those things as we’ve been doing it the last few weeks. Hopefully, to pick up some of those things.”

The contest is set to kick off at 1 p.m. ET.