Carolina Panthers make unexpected choice following NFL rule change

The NFL gave the Carolina Panthers a green light. Then, just as quickly, it turned red.

On what was supposed to be a routine day of roster management, the Panthers made a surprising and painful move—waiving outside linebacker Kenny Dyson Jr., a player who’d impressed throughout OTAs and was firmly in the team’s development plans. But this wasn’t a typical cut. It was the result of a late, league-driven reversal that left Carolina with no alternative.

According to The Athletic’s Joe Person, the league initially informed the Panthers that placing running back Jonathon Brooks on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list would open up a roster spot—dropping the team from 90 to 89 active players. Acting on that information, Carolina moved quickly, waiving eight players on Thursday and positioning themselves for camp. Then the NFL changed its stance.

“[The NFL] reversed course and said Brooks still counts against the 90-man,” a team source told Person.

Suddenly at 91 players, the Panthers had to make another cut to comply. Dyson was the odd man out.

It’s a tough break for the 24-year-old linebacker, who joined the team last season as an undrafted free agent and had shown promise during offseason workouts. Dyson had been lauded by coaches for his speed and special teams potential, and some insiders believed he could carve out a depth role in defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero’s scheme.

Dyson’s release underscores the tightrope NFL teams walk during the offseason. One procedural misunderstanding—especially one involving a recovering player like Brooks, who is expected to miss the entire 2025 season after re-tearing his ACL in December—can shift plans overnight.

Unless granted an exemption, the Panthers will now operate with just 89 players through the preseason. Dyson’s departure is a reminder of the unforgiving nature of roster math in the NFL—and how even the most minor miscommunication can have major consequences.