Panthers Transactions – Week 8: OT Brett Toth and WR/TE Jordan Matthews make for intriguing additions

Can Army’s Brett Toth transition from nuclear engineering to offensive tackle?

The Panthers front office is busy throughout the season with transactions and roster moves. Here are the transactions that have taken place so far this week as the Panthers prepare to host the Houston Texans.

10/24 – Agreed to terms with OL Brett Toth from the Eagles’ practice squad

Whether or not the 6-foot-6 offensive tackle has a long-term NFL career or not, Brett Toth will almost undoubtedly succeed in life. Toth played college football for Army and graduated from West Point where he studied nuclear engineering and physics. In 2019 he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles and got his first game action in 2020 when he played 97 offensive snaps over six games in Philly. In 2021 he appeared in 11 games with 53 snaps on offense and 50 more on special teams.

Toth suffered a knee injury in the final week of the 2021 season which required surgery in early 2022. He missed all of last season as he recovered from surgery but was re-signed to the Eagles practice squad in 2023. The Panthers claimed him off the Eagles practice squad, meaning he is now on Carolina’s 53-man active roster.

10/25 – Signed TE Jordan Matthews to the practice squad

This is an intriguing signing for the Panthers after tight ends Ian Thomas and Giovanni Ricci recently hit the injured reserve list. Matthews was a second round pick in the 2014 draft and has played wide receiver until recently bulking up 30 pounds to play tight end in an attempt to resurrect his NFL career. The Panthers official roster still lists him at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, but his previous team, the San Francisco 49ers, listed him at 236 pounds.

This could be an interesting addition by the Panthers because the 31-year-old Matthews was a decent wide receiver for the first three seasons of his career. Between 2014 and 2016 with the Philadelphia Eagles he racked up 225 receptions for 2,673 yards and 19 touchdowns. But his career quickly tapered off from there as he bounced between the Eagles, Buffalo Bills, and San Francisco 49ers. Between 2017 and 2019 he had just 49 receptions for 615 yards. What’s most concerning is he played just three games in 2019, two games in 2020, one game in 2021, and zero games last year.

If Matthews has retained even a hint of his former wide receiver prowess from yesteryear, he could easily be the second best receiving option at tight end in the Panthers organization behind Hayden Hurst. Sure, blocking will be a concern, but Carolina gets only minimal receiving contributions from Tommy Tremble and Stephen Sullivan, the only other healthy tight ends currently on the 53-man roster. Stay tuned.

10/24 – Agreed to terms with OLB Luiji Vilain from the Vikings’ practice squad

The 6-foot-4, 252-pound linebacker might be familiar to some Panthers fans as he played his collegiate ball at Wake Forest. Plus, he has one of the most awesome last names in the NFL for a “villain” intent on destroying the other teams’ skill players. The 25-year-old went undrafted out of college and last year appeared in three games for the Minnesota Vikings with four tackles. He played in one game for the Vikings this year, playing 14 special teams snaps, before the Panthers signed him to their active roster.

10/25 – Signed QB Jake Luton to the practice squad

The 6-foot-6, 27-year-old quarterback from Oregon State has bounced around multiple teams and practice squads since being selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth round of the 2020 draft. He was originally signed by the Panthers in the 2023 offseason and put on the practice squad until the New Orleans Saints signed him a month ago. The Saints recently waived Luton and the Panthers re-signed him to their practice squad.

10/24 Released OL Justin McCray from the practice squad

The 31-year-old journeyman signed with the Panthers this past offseason and appeared in two games in Carolina before being waived, playing a total of seven special teams snaps.

10/24 Activated G Austin Corbett from the physically unable to perform list; Placed DB Jeremy Chinn, OLB Yetur Gross-Matos, and TE Giovanni Ricci on injured reserve.

CSR’s Walker Clement provided more details about these injury-related transactions earlier this week.