CHARLOTTE — The next few days are an integral and painful time for crafting an NFL roster.

They are a touchstone of the offseason, a hinge on which a team can swing, and when all the work from the spring and summer begins to come to a head.

The next few days follow the same pattern each year, allowing those involved to better know what to expect and when to expect it, giving a sense of normalcy to the whole thing.

But let's be honest, the next few days are hard.

"I think you get to a certain point in your career where you just understand that it is what it is," explained linebacker Jon Rhattigan.

By Tuesday at 4 p.m. EST, all 32 NFL clubs must have their initial 53-man roster set. Camp rosters sit at 90 players each, give or take an International Pathway Player (of which the Panthers play host to LB Mapalo Mwansa ). That means off the cuff, at least 37 players from each club will be cut, or a total of 1,184 league-wide.

This isn't the end of the road for everyone. Some who currently count against the 90-man roster will remain under their current classification or revert to a new one, but not count against the 53-man roster, such as those on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, the Non-Football injury/illness (NFI) list, or Injured Reserve (which does not count against the 90-man roster).

On Wednesday afternoon, teams can assemble their 16-man practice squad or a 17-man squad if they choose to keep an IPP player.

As injuries arise during the season, it isn't uncommon for those who have been around certain programs to be the first choice for someone signed back to either the practice squad or active rosters to fill open spots. Those opportunities, though, are far fewer than the number of those given walking papers on Tuesday.

It's a lot of numbers, and after a while, numbers are all it can seem to be when discussing the possibilities. But behind each number is a player whose dreams can rest on a decision made this week.

"It can—this time can be stressful for a lot of guys," admitted tight end James Mitchell , "and myself is not excluded from that."

While general manager Dan Morgan, coaches and scouts are weighing where to use each roster spot, such as deciding on the deep receiving corps this year for example, Dave Canales wants to make sure he and his staff also focus on football until the last possible moment, ensuring each player under his care is given every last ounce of opportunity from this time.

"I think first and foremost we have this day where we get to evaluate the film so we're all back in the building," Canales explained Friday, around 12 hours after the Panthers' final preseason game.

"And we'll have to make those decisions at the beginning of next week, but today is a chance to get better, to look at the film, to take coaching to improve, you know, all these things are so critical for all the players who were able to play (Friday) night so we'll start there."

Some guys like Mitchell and Rhattigan have been through this song and dance before. Mitchell was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 2022. After being named to the 53-man roster at the beginning of the season his first two years, he was cut and then signed to the practice squad in the 2024 season, before being elevated mid-season for one game.

As he waits to find out what the Panthers do with their tight end room to start the season, he'll lean on those who have been there every step of the way.

"Just try to connect with family and friends, you know, that's how I kind of just take my mind off of it," said Mitchell. "So for me it's just, you know, surrounding myself with the people who have supported me along this journey and then we'll see what happens from there."

Rhattigan's rookie season with Seattle saw him waived and signed back to the P-squad before being elevated to the active roster ahead of the opener. The club went through the same process in 2023, and elevated the linebacker to the active roster and back to the practice squad three times before being signed to the 53-man roster early in the season.

It's the kind of thing that could cause whiplash if someone lets it. So, guys do everything in their power to separate the football from the business, even though they are intricately intertwined.

"I just control the controlables and every decision that's made, you know, whether it's myself personally or good friends or just great teammates that I'm around, we all understand that this is a business and it's, you know, these are decisions made that are out of our control, so I don't do anything different," Rhattigan said.

"You hope you can be with the guys that you've gone through this whole offseason with, but at the same time, you always have to be ready for any move to be made, whether you're making X amount of dollars or you're on veteran minimum, guys get traded, and just crazy things can happen.

"I think the older you get, the more calm you can stay knowing that you've seen a lot of things happen. And at the end of the day, it's out of your control."

It's the kind of sage advice that is offered around the locker room every year at this time. And while rookies, like running back Trevor Etienne, can't fully understand the weight of a roster cut-down day until going through it themselves, they do try to lean on those veterans who have as much as possible.

"It's like you really can't control that, so just worry about the things you can control and you know be ready when your name is called," Etienne echoed. "One thing I learned is this league is about opportunities, so just make sure you're ready for whatever opportunity comes your way."

Two days after the Panthers signed quarterback Bryce Perkins, the reigning UFL MVP was going through warmups next to Canales. The two discussed Perkins' time in the UFL and why it was so important for the former Los Angeles Ram to spend two seasons in that league, simply because it offered a chance to continue playing football.

"It's about proving something to themselves, you know, that they can do this," Canales shared last week. "When the NFL says no, do you just go home, or do you find another place you can play football to kind of prove that, and I just got chills hearing that."

It's part and parcel of what he hopes every player walking in and out the door this week remembers and chases: the passion, the love of the game, the willingness to commit to staying ready in case another opportunity arises.

The next few days are going to be hard. But it doesn't have to be the end, and that's the message he wants to pass along to each guy who may not receive the news they want to hear this week.

"It's just the challenge to chase your dream; the challenge to never give up, never say never, and to continue to work," preached Canales.

"And while we know we can't have everybody do that here with us, you know, our goal as a staff is to help these guys to have a football life in one way, shape or form, and I hope that the players feel that they got the care, they got the coaching, they were challenged, they were encouraged, they were held accountable for different things to be able to help them in the future."