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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – The Carolina Panthers reportedly added a Charlotte native on Monday as the team’s roster continues to take shape ahead of the 2026 regular season.
NFL teams had to cut their rosters down to 53 players by Sunday, Aug. 31, which means hundreds of players from across the league found themselves without jobs.
One of those players was offensive lineman Torricelli Simpkins.
Simpkins — who was cut by the rival New Orleans Saints — wasn’t unemployed for long. Carolina swooped in and signed Simpkins to its practice squad on Aug. 31, according to a report from The Athletic’s Joe Person.
For the 6-foot-5, 312-pound Simpkins, the signing is a homecoming.
The big offensive lineman went to Olympic High School in southwest Charlotte before he played collegiately at North Carolina Central and then South Carolina.
He was originally signed by the Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2025, but appeared in 15 games for New Orleans as a rookie, including two starts.
Simpkins can play both guard and center, and provides added insurance for the Panthers up front. Carolina also added offensive lineman Corey Bullock on Monday. Bullock and Simpkins were teammates for three years at North Carolina Central.
With the preseason and training camp now in the rearview, the Panthers have shifted their focus to the regular season opener on Sept. 13, when they host the Chicago Bears in a Week 1 showdown.
The Panthers reportedly signed Charlotte native Torricelli Simpkins to the team’s practice squad.(Tyler Kaufman | AP)
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