It's the time of year when NFL teams are constantly making roster moves, trying to find the right roster ahead of OTAs. The Atlanta Falcons are no exception, with some obvious cut candidates on top of intriguing players who could break out during the summer.
Their rivals are also making moves and given the poor state of the NFC South, fans should be keeping an eye on what the New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Carolina Panthers are doing. In one new roster move from Tuesday, the Panthers elected to cut the son of a franchise legend.
Muhsin "Moose" Muhammad II is in Carolina's Hall of Honor, the franchise's de facto Hall of Fame, yet his son apparently couldn't stick on the roster.
Panthers Cut Franchise Legend's Son Just Before OTAs
As announced by the organization ad reported by insider Mike Kaye, the Panthers waived wide receiver Moose Muhammad III with an injury designation. He'll revert to injured reserve if he goes unclaimed. In a corresponding move, the team re-signed wideout T.J. Luther, who was cut prior to rookie camp.
Muhammad's father spent 11 years in Carolina, catching 696 passes for 9,255 yards and 50 TDs during his tenure. He led the NFL in receiving yards (1,405) and TDs (16) in 2004, earning First-Team All-Pro honors in the process. There was hope that his son could follow in that path, though it'll be an uphill battle based on this news.
Muhammad III spent five years at Texas A&M, hauling in 81 passes for 1,163 yards and 12 TDs. It makes sense that the Panthers would've wanted to bring him in, though the injury he suffered left him on the chopping block given the limited production. There's little expectation that he'll be claimed, so it's likely that he'll remain with Carolina on that injured reserve list.
For the Falcons, this doesn't mean much. They're trying to inspire their own pass-catching weapons to take a leap back into the playoffs, but the Panthers are still building something promising regardless. Atlanta has a big advantage over Carolina for the time being, yet the gap could close sooner than expected.
The Falcons need a strong summer and have a great foundation in place, particularly offensively. OTAs will officially kick off for the team on May 27, and it'll be interesting to see what moves come following the workouts.