Panthers Begin Offseason by Signing 10 Players to New Contracts
By Jovan Alford
With the 2024 regular season officially ending on Sunday, the Carolina Panthers have started preparing for the 2025 season. The Panthers finished the regular season with an exciting 44-38 overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons.
Second-year quarterback Bryce Young was outstanding in the Week 18 win, with 251 passing yards and five total touchdowns. Young solidified himself as Carolina’s franchise QB for the now and future.
As for the rest of the roster, Carolina made a slew of futures/reserve signings on Monday, which will bring several players back for minicamp in the spring.
According to ESPN’s David Newton, the Panthers signed RB Emani Bailey, G Ja’Tyre Carter, TE Dominique Dafney, LB Kenny Dyson, LB Thomas Incoom, WR T.J. Luther, TE Jordan Matthews, WR Dax Milne, C Andrew Raym, and G Brandon Walton.
The Panthers signed the following to reserve/future deals:
— David Newton (@DNewtonespn) January 6, 2025
Bailey, Emani (RB - Texas Christian)
Carter, Ja'Tyre (G - Southern U.)
Dafney, Dominique (TE - Indiana State)
Dyson, Kenny (LB - Bryant)
Incoom, Thomas (LB - Central Michigan)
Luther, T.J. (WR - Gardner-Webb)…
Among Carolina’s notable futures/reserve contract signings was Matthews, who appeared in four games this season. The 32-year-old tight end has spent the last two years in Carolina after not being on an NFL roster/practice squad in 2022.
Matthews has been a constant professional in Carolina, so it makes sense that the team wanted to bring him back. In addition to Matthews, another player worth keeping an eye on in minicamp in the spring is Emani Bailey.
The former TCU running back was signed to the Panthers’ practice squad last month after the Kansas City Chiefs released him from the taxi squad in November. Bailey was signed as a UDFA by Kansas City after the 2024 NFL Draft.
The 5-foot-7 running back didn’t do much in the preseason with the Chiefs (29 rushing yards on 10 carries in three games).
However, what Bailey did at TCU in 2023 makes him an intriguing option in Carolina’s backfield. Bailey rushed for 1,209 yards and eight touchdowns on 223 carries. He also had 25 receptions for 184 yards and a touchdown. With Jonathan Brooks recovering from another torn ACL and Miles Sanders potentially out the door, Bailey could sneak onto the roster.
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