Benching quarterback Bryce Young isn’t the only personnel decision the Carolina Panthers made this week. Since Monday, the team has appeared on the NFL transactions report seven times.
Among those transactions, the Panthers waived outside linebacker Eku Leota on Tuesday. But the former Auburn standout went unclaimed through the waiver process, and Carolina re-signed Leota for its practice squad on Thursday.
Leota started his NFL career on the Panthers’ practice squad last season. But he ended up playing in eight games in 2023 for 77 defensive snaps and 90 special-teams plays.
This season, Leota had 56 defensive snaps and 23 special-teams plays in Carolina’s first two games.
In the season-opening 47-10 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 8, Leota recorded a sack and three tackles for loss. The rest of the team has one sack and four tackles for loss in two games.
On Sunday, Leota made his first NFL start in a 26-3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Members of the practice squad do everything that players on the active roster do except play in the games. However, each NFL team can elevate two players on its practice squad to active status for each game.
The Panthers play the Las Vegas Raiders at 3:05 p.m. CDT Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
