The Carolina Panthers and every other NFL team will soon have to cut their roster from around 90 players to just 53.
As a result, there are going to be plenty of tough decisions that have to be made. The Panthers are no exception, as they have a much more talented roster than they've fielded in previous seasons.
It will be interesting to see how the team handles several positions, especially quarterback. Head coach Dave Canales has traditionally only kept two quarterbacks on the main roster, but that could end up changing this season.
Haynes King impressed in the Hall of Fame Game, but he got injured at the end of that contest and was unable to play in the second game. With that in mind, it's possible that King could end up being the toughest cut the Panthers make.
King's Spot Far From Guaranteed Despite Strong Start
Zachary Rotman and Mark Powell of FanSided recently predicted who the toughest cut will be for each team. For the Panthers, the duo chose King.
As mentioned above, Canales usually only keeps two passers, and Bryce Young doesn't have a long injury history. Plus, King's injury means he won't be able to impress on the field for a little while.
"(King's Hall of Fame Game) performance has some Carolina Panthers fans dreaming of him potentially being Bryce Young's backup, and while sure, that's possible, is Dave Canales really going to have King, an undrafted rookie, leapfrog a far more proven option in Kenny Pickett on the depth chart? I doubt it, and that could lead to King being cut and stashed on the practice squad," Rotman and Powell said.
It sounds like a nice solution to have Kenny Pickett win the backup job and stash King on the practice squad. The problem is, there's no guarantee that King would make it to the practice squad if he gets cut.
King is known for making plays with his legs, so it wouldn't be surprising if some team was intrigued by his potential.
The main thing is King just needs to get healthy. If he can do that and continue to impress, he may force the Panthers' hand. Pickett has been good-not-great this summer, so it wouldn't be a stretch to say King has more upside.
It's also possible the team could make cuts elsewhere and keep all three quarterbacks around. We'll have our answer soon enough, especially if King comes back and plays well.
