On Friday, the Carolina Panthers officially placed tight end Hayden Hurst and offensive lineman Justin McCray on injured reserve, effectively ending their 2023 seasons. The moves also opened up a pair of spots on the team’s active roster, giving way to a more positive bit of news this afternoon.
In the same release, the Panthers announced they have signed defensive lineman Chris Wormley to the 53-man roster. The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder, who inked on to the practice squad back on Sept. 11, has now appeared in three games this season.
Before coming over to Carolina, Wormley spent his first six NFL seasons in the AFC North—splitting his time between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Over that time, the 2017 third-round pick recorded 142 combined tackles, 11.0 sacks and two forced fumbles in 80 games.
Wormley’s 2022 campaign was cut short after sustaining a torn ACL in Pittsburgh’s Week 14 contest against, ironically enough, the Ravens. He proceeded to undergo season-ending surgery and was placed on injured reserve to close up the campaign.
Week 12’s trip to Tennessee marked Wormley’s return to the field since the injury.
