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One Surprise Panthers Player Who Could Sneak On To the Final Roster
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- One Surprise Panthers Player Who Could Sneak On To the Final Roster
The Carolina Panthers have two more preseason games before the regular season gets underway. As a result, the team has about two weeks until they have to cut the roster from 90 players to just 53.
There will be plenty of tough decisions to make at the bottom of the roster. Most of the starting spots are decided at this point, but these final two preseason games could make a huge difference for bubble players.
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One of those bubble players is tight end Feleipe Franks . Franks is trying to make the final roster in a tight end room that is not exactly deep. The former quarterback has mostly been a special teamer during his NFL career, but he's beginning to make some noise.
Franks Not Only Impressing on Special Teams
Since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2021, Franks has had to find ways to stand out. As mentioned above, Franks was originally a highly touted quarterback prospect.
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However, Franks never panned out as a passer and decided to switch to tight end in hopes of having a longer NFL career. That has seemingly been the correct choice, as Franks is preparing for his fifth NFL season.
The tight end has been seen as a bubble player with just a small chance to make this roster. The Panthers have Tommy Tremble , Mitchell Evans , and Ja'Tavion Sanders atop the tight end depth chart, and veteran Darren Waller was just added as well.
It would be easy to forget about Franks, but he's making that hard to do. The Panthers are practicing with the Jaguars this week, and Franks made his presence known on Wednesday.
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"I'll say this, Franks has caught the ball consistently well all summer," Panthers reporter Mike Kaye said . "He's made several plays in camp. He will be a guy to watch the rest of the preseason, as he might be more than a special teams ace."
Kaye is around the team as much as anybody, so if he thinks Franks has a real shot to make the team, you should listen.
On Wednesday, Franks made several catches, including a touchdown pass from Kyle Trask . The tight end is proving that he's not just a special-teamer but also a reliable pass-catcher as well.
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With how disappointing Ja'Tavion Sanders has been , is it crazy to think Franks could be kept around? We know Waller, Tremble, and Evans will be on the roster. If the Panthers keep four tight ends, can Franks do enough to supplant Sanders for the final spot?
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
