CHARLOTTE — The Panthers released cornerback A.J. Bouye on Monday and according to multiple reports, are expected to release defensive end Morgan Fox once the league year begins on Wednesday.
Bouye played in 10 games, with seven starts. The 30-year-old cornerback was signed prior to last season, and was placed on injured reserve in late December with a foot injury.
With Bouye's departure, the Panthers are very young at the position, with no one on the roster older than 24.
That group includes 2021 first-rounder Jaycee Horn and 2021 trade acquisition CJ Henderson, both former top 10 overall picks. The Panthers also have Keith Taylor Jr., Stantley Thomas-Oliver III, Troy Pride Jr., and Madre Harper on the roster now.
The Panthers have three cornerbacks from last year's team among their list of 17 remaining unrestricted free agents — Stephon Gilmore, Donte Jackson, and Rashaan Melvin. They can sign with any team Wednesday when the new league year opens.
Fox was also signed prior to last season, coming over from the Rams. He started nine games, and had 1.5 sacks.
With Haason Reddick becoming a free agent, the Panthers will now need to add some pass-rush help in free agency.
Take a look at some of the top free agent signings that the Panthers have made over their history. Some made big splashes immediately upon signing, while others became big surprises.
LB Sam Mills (1995-1997)
Sam Mills only played three of his 12 NFL seasons with the Panthers, but he was as impactful as any player with one Pro Bowl appearance and an NFC Championship game appearance. And his legacy continues to impact the franchise with the example he later set when cancer beset him but he vowed to "Keep Pounding."
K John Kasay (1995-2010)
Carolina's all-time leading scorer and most prolific kicker, John Kasay was signed by Carolina prior to the team's first season in 1995 and he was the kicker all the way through 2010 as Carolina's longest tenured player with 221 career games.
LB Lamar Lathon (1995-1998)
Lamar Lathon was signed before the 1995 season and played four seasons with Carolina. He had 13.5 sacks in 1996 as the Panthers led the NFL in sacks and went to the NFC Championship.
QB Steve Beuerlein (1996-2000)
Carolina signed Steve Beuerlein to be a backup quarterback. He later became the starter and led the NFL with a franchise-record 4,436 passing yards in 1999. His game-winning QB draw at Green Bay that season remains etched in Panthers history.
TE Wesley Walls (1996-2002)
Wesley Walls was inducted into the Panthers Hall of Honor in 2019. He was signed from the Saints before the 1996 season and still holds the franchise record for receiving touchdowns by a tight end with 44.
DB Eric Davis (1996-2000)
Eric Davis played for Carolina from 1996-2000, racking up five interceptions each season for a total of 25 as a Panther. He tied for the third-most interceptions in the NFL over his five-year stretch with Carolina.
DE Kevin Greene (1996, 1998-1999)
Kevin Greene was signed prior to the 1996 season and then earned NFC Linebacker of the Year honors as he led the Panthers to the NFC Championship game. He led the NFL with 14.5 sacks that season. After playing in San Francisco in 1997, Greene returned to finish his Hall of Fame career in Carolina in 1998-99.
Return Specialist Michael Bates (1996-2000, 2002-2003)
Michael Bates was a five-time Pro Bowler and special teams ace after Carolina signed him as a free agent in 1996. He still holds franchise records for kick return yards.
DE Reggie White (2000)
Reggie White came out of retirement to play one season with Carolina in 2000. He started all 16 games and registered 5.5 sacks that year, before retiring again at the end of the season. White died in 2004, and was posthumously selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is second in NFL history in career sacks.
DT Brentson Buckner (2001-2005)
In 2001, Buckner joined a dominant defensive front consisting of Julius Peppers, Kris Jenkins and Mike Rucker. Thanks in part to Buckner's run-stuffing abilities, the group became one of the most formidable defensive lines in football, helping lead the Panthers to an appearance in Super Bowl 38.
P Todd Sauerbrun (2001-2004)
Sauerbrun brought a cannon with him when he came to Carolina from Kansas City, and it was attached to his right leg. The punter earned Pro Bowl nods during his first three years with the Panthers and was a First-Team All Pro selection in 2001 and 2002, when he averages 47.5 and 45.5 yards per punt, respectively.
OT Todd Steussie (2001-2003)
Steussie came to Carolina after spending seven years in Minnesota. With the Panthers, the offensive lineman proved to be a bright spot on a unit that gave up 29 sacks on its way to a 1-15 record in 2001. Two years later, Steussie and Co. had turned things around en route to an appearance in Super Bowl 38.
LB Mark Fields (2002-2004)
Fields came to Carolina in 2002 and instantly took over the defense, leading the team with 103 tackles. But prior to the 2003 season, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma and was forced to miss the season. That didn't discourage Fields, though, as he and linebackers coach Sam Mills, a fellow cancer patient, became a rallying point for the team during its run to Super Bowl 38.
QB Jake Delhomme (2003-2009)
A newly minted member of the Hall of Honor, Jake Delhomme was signed before the 2003 season. He would go on to lead the Panthers to the Super Bowl that season. He still holds the franchise record for most game-winning drives with 17.
RB Stephen Davis (2003-2005)
Davis came to Carolina during the latter half of his career, but his first year with the Panthers resulted in his most productive year ever, totaling 1,444 rushing yards and eight touchdowns en route to an appearance in Super Bowl 38. Nagging knee injuries hampered Davis' final two years in Carolina, but the 2003 season will always remain a part of Panthers history.
WR Ricky Proehl (2003-2005)
After winning a Super Bowl with the Rams, Proehl came to Carolina and almost accomplished the feat again with the Panthers. The wideout hauled in the game-winning touchdown in the 2003 season opener against the Jaguars to launch the team's improbable Super Bowl run, and then caught another touchdown in the final minutes of the big game to tie things up. Proehl later served as the Panthers' wide receivers coach from 2013-2016.
CB Ken Lucas (2005-2008)
After starting his career in Seattle, cornerback Ken Lucas came to Carolina in 2005 and became an integral part of the Panthers' secondary opposite Chris Gamble. Over his four years in Carolina, Lucas recorded 13 interceptions and 48 passes defensed, and helped lead the Panthers to an NFC Championship appearance during his first season.
OL Mike Wahle (2005-2007)
Offensive lineman Mike Wahle wasn't in Carolina long – just three seasons – but he made an immediate impact. During his first year with the Panthers in 2005, the guard earned his first-ever selections to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams.
RB Mike Tolbert (2012-2016)
Mike Tolbert, affectionately nicknamed "The Toldozer," turned out to be one of the Panthers' best short-yardage backs. With the size of a fullback but the speed of a running back, Tolbert was the go-to guy when the Panthers needed to bully their way into the end zone, earning himself three Pro Bowl nods in four years (2013, 2015, 2016).
DE Mario Addison (2012-2019)
Mario Addison bounced around a few teams during his first two years in the league, before finally finding a home in Carolina in 2012. Over the next eight seasons, the defensive end totaled 55 sacks, fourth-most in franchise history.
K Graham Gano (2012-2019)
After a few years in the NFL and UFL, kicker Graham Gano found sustained success with the Panthers. Over his eight years in Carolina, Gano hit plenty of big kicks, but none more memorable than the franchise-record 63-yard game-winner against the Giants in 2018.
WR Tedd Ginn Jr. (2013, 2015-2016)
The Panthers acquired Ted Ginn Jr. on two occasions, once in 2013 and again in 2015. During his two stints in Carolina, Ginn proved to be an explosive threat in both the return and passing game thanks to his top-end speed. During the 2015 campaign, Ginn recorded a career-high 10 receiving touchdowns while helping the Panthers reach Super Bowl 50.
S Roman Harper (2014-2015)
In 2014, safety Roman Harper crossed over from the division rival Saints and joined the Panthers. Harper's arrival added a veteran presence to the secondary, starting all 32 games during his time in Carolina and recording four interceptions in 2014.
S Kurt Coleman (2015-2017)
No one recorded more interceptions between 2015 and 2017 than safety Kurt Coleman. The veteran pulled down a team-high 11 picks during that stretch, providing a steady presence as the Panthers' last line of defense. More than his interceptions, though, Coleman was known for coming downhill and filling the hole in the run game, before boasting his signature flex celebration.
