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Panthers Make Practice Squad Signing That Could Pay Off in Major Way
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- Panthers Make Practice Squad Signing That Could Pay Off in Major Way
The Carolina Panthers just had to remove about 40 players from their roster. The finalized 53-man roster features a few surprises, and now we're waiting to see the full practice squad.
We've seen practice squad signings start to trickle in. A few of the toughest cuts will be back, like wide receivers David Moore and Ja'seem Reed, and cornerback Corey Thornton .
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However, there's one practice squad signing that deserves your attention. The Panthers signed linebacker Tyrel Dodson to the practice squad after he was cut by the Dolphins , and it's not hard to imagine Dodson making his way to the active roster soon.
Dodson Could Contribute for Panthers in 2026
Dodson isn't your typical practice squad addition. Usually, you see undrafted free agents and second-year players on the practice squad, but Dodson is bringing over 40 NFL starts.
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The linebacker went undrafted out of Texas A&M in 2019 and latched on with the Bills. Dodson earned his way onto the team and stayed with them for four seasons. The linebacker then split 2024 with the Seahawks and Dolphins , and he stayed with the Dolphins in 2025.
This offseason, the Dolphins are undergoing a youth movement. With Jordyn Brooks and Jacob Rodriguez entrenched as the starting linebackers, the team went with Jackson Woodard and Kyle Louis as the backups over Dodson.
Carolina is probably the best possible landing spot for Dodson. The team recently brought in fellow veteran Bobby Okereke , but behind him and Devin Lloyd , there's almost no depth. As a result, it's not hard to imagine Dodson making his debut with the Panthers quickly.
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In 2025, Dodson played in 16 games with 16 starts, and collected 129 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five sacks, and one interception. Dodson was also credited with 16 pressures , which ranked 18th out of 88 qualified linebackers.
2025 was Dodson's second straight season with 100+ tackles. Before 2024, Dodson was mostly a role player, but his starting experience and ability to help out the pass rush make him an intriguing fit.
The Panthers will be able to call Dodson up to the main roster three times before having sign him. Lloyd, Okereke, Claudin Cherelus , and Jackson Kuwatch are the only linebackers on the roster as of now.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Sep 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
