After moving defensive tackle Bravvion Roy to the injured reserve, the Carolina Panthers opened up yet another spot on their active roster. So between the (hopefully temporary) losses of Roy and wideout Andre Roberts before him, the team is now down to 51 men.
Can Marquel Lee fulfill an underdog role and eventually fill one of those voids?
Well, if he does, the 26-year-old linebacker has taken the first step at doing so. Lee, per the league transaction, had a visit with the Panthers on Tuesday.
The 6-foot-3, 235-pound linebacker spent four years at nearby Wake Forest University—where he totaled 291 combined tackles, 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two passes defensed over 46 contests. He was selected as a member of the 2016 All-ACC Second-team for his standout senior campaign.
Lee would then be drafted in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL draft by the then Oakland Raiders. His first stint with the Raiders lasted from 2017 to 2019, one that saw him rack up 104 tackles in 34 games.
After his release in August of 2020 and a short stay with the Buffalo Bills, Lee rejoined Oakland Las Vegas for the 2021 season. He’d appear in 11 games before signing back with Buffalo this summer.
