The Panthers added two new faces to the practice squad, signing OT Pearce Slater and DT Bruce Gaston. As corresponding moves, the Panthers released seventh round rookie TE Beau Sandland, and sent DT Eric Crume to IR after a knee injury sustained in practice.
A lot of people had high hopes for Sandland after camp, as he seemed to make a play a day to make himself relevant, but as usual, seventh round picks are generally no lock to stick around for very long. The coaches are the only ones who have seen anything from him likely, and it sounds like they have been less than impressed with his progress.
Pearce Slater is an undrafted rookie OT out of San Diego State, and to say he is a large man would be a giant understatement. He is officially listed at 6’8” and 340 lbs. He was a victim of final roster cuts for the Jacksonville Jaguars and has been a free agent ever since. You have to like his size, but one would imagine that a guy with measurables like that must have a flaw somewhere to stay a free agent.
Bruce Gaston is in his third NFL season, and we would be the eighth team he has played for. He is originally a UDFA out of Purdue that signed with the Arizona Cardinals in his first season. He has minimal regular season stats at both Green Bay and Chicago from 2015.