Chandler Wooten, a former Auburn standout, has been signed by the Carolina Panthers off their practice squad. Of the players who are fit enough to play inside linebacker, Wooten has the most experience. The NFL franchise made the announcement on Tuesday night.
The Panthers lost their starting linebacker Shaq Thompson for the remainder of the season due to an Achilles tendon injury and their starting linebacker Josey Jewell for at least the following game due to hamstring and groin injuries in their 34-24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Trevin Wallace, a third-round rookie who has played 36 defensive snaps this season, and Claudin Cherelus, who has played nine defensive snaps since joining the Panthers in 2023, are the projected starters for Carolina at inside linebacker on October 6 against the Chicago Bears.
Jon Rhattigan, an inside linebacker in his fourth NFL season and a regular on special teams, is another player for Carolina. In 36 NFL games, Rhattigan has played 19 defensive snaps.
Since being signed by Carolina on October 17, 2022, off the practice squad of the Arizona Cardinals, Wooten has participated in 17 games and 47 defensive snaps.
After being passed over in the 2022 NFL Draft, Wooten joined Arizona. Nine of the Panthers’ ten games after Wooten’s arrival were spent on special teams.
After participating in all eight of Carolina’s games in 2023, Wooten suffered an ankle injury during a Nov. 5 27-13 defeat to the Indianapolis Colts. He was placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.
Wooten is a special teams player with 322 plays in 17 NFL regular-season games.
After Wooten failed to make the active roster at the start of the regular season, the Panthers signed him to their practice squad this year.
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