Panthers Just Made Rival Release Starter After Week 13

The Carolina Panthers' Week 13 performance may have had the most ideal outcome fans could ask for on Sunday. The team played a competitive, fun, and hotly contested game against a division rival the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Bryce Young looked like the real deal. At the same time, the Panthers lost another game, keeping them in the running for a top slot in the 2025 NFL Draft.

But even sweeter than taking the Bucs to overtime as a significant underdog? Exposing one of their players so badly that he was quickly cut on Tuesday.

One of the Bucs' first moves after their game against Carolina was to waive punter Trenton Gill. And any Panthers fan who watched the game knows exactly why.

In the second quarter, Gill completely shanked a punt from deep in Bucs territory. He was punting from around his own goal line as the Bucs faced a 4th and 24 from the 14-yard line, and he put the ball out of bounds just 22 yards downfield. Starting the drive on the Bucs' 36, the Panthers wasted no time scoring a touchdown to take a 10-7 lead.

Not to be limited to one blunder, he then led directly to the game going to overtime. His fourth-quarter kickoff with the Bucs up 20-16 didn't even make it to the landing zone, leading to a penalty and the Panthers drive starting on the 40-yard line. That was another easy TD drive from Bryce Young and company.

The Bucs' special teams have been an absolute joke all season, and Gill was already their second punter, having replaced Jake Camarda.

PFF has Tampa ranked No. 23 in special teams grade this season, and both Gill and Camarda have graded out below 50.0 in 2024.

Embarrassing their division rival enough to force them to immediately cut a player while still protecting your chances of landing a top-five draft pick is an ideal outcome for Carolina, who will get another crack at the Bucs in Week 17.

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