NFL Analyst Has Shocking Prediction for Carolina Panthers' Roster Cuts

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The 2026 NFL season is just over two weeks away as teams will wrap up the preseason in the coming days.  After that, training camp will be over and it will be full game mode for coaches and players. 

But, Sunday will mark a big day around the league as teams have to trim their rosters down to 53 players.

There will be difficult decisions in the coming days as roster bubble players and veterans will hit waivers after being cut. For the Carolina Panthers, they have some tough decisions to make. One position where the Panthers have a tough decision is at wide receiver.

It's not a strong area and there is currently a battle for some spots on the depth chart at WR4 and WR5. When it comes down to it, the roster cut downs are a numbers game and there could be a sacrifice at another position to make things work. And a CBS Sports analyst believes a recently-signed Panthers player could be cut. 

Carter Bahns of CBS Sports wrote about 20 big-name veterans who could be surprise cuts as the roster is cut down. On the list, he named Panthers tight end Darren Waller:

The unretirement tour continues for Darren Waller . Will it carry into the regular season, though? 

He joined the Panthers during training camp as another option in a tight end group that disappointed in 2025, but he does not bring much upside himself as a 34-year-old whose best season is now six years in the rearview.

Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans are the top two options, so the question is whether there is room for both Ja'Tavion Sanders and Waller.

Okay, now that would be pretty shocking. 

The Panthers brought in Waller for a reason earlier in August and believe he can contibute in this offense. They clearly have a plan for him and despite him not appearing in a preseason game, it's likely not an issue.

On the other hand, Bahns is right that Waller is on the older side and when it comes down to it, they could make a cut at this position which would impact a different one in terms of the numbers. 

Either way, Sunday will be a day that will tell us what we need to know. 

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