The Carolina Panthers added cornerback depth on Friday by signing Jakorian Bennett to the practice squad days before the NFL trade deadline, a move that reflects the ongoing strain at the position, via the NFL transaction wire.
Bennett, a 26-year-old former fourth-round pick, visited the team on Thursday after the Philadelphia Eagles waived him earlier in the week.
To clear a spot, Carolina released Zion Childress from the practice squad.
The addition arrives as the Panthers have navigated injuries to several corners, including Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, Akayleb Evans, and Will Lee III, forcing the team to cycle through options in search of reliable coverage.
Bennett entered the league in 2023 after a productive college career that began at Hutchinson Community College and continued at Maryland.
A three-year starter for the Terrapins, he earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten recognition in his final two seasons and was named MVP of the 2022 Duke’s Mayo Bowl after securing a game-sealing interception against NC State in Charlotte.
The Raiders selected him 104th overall that spring.
Over two seasons in Las Vegas, he appeared in 24 games with 11 starts, recording 58 tackles and 11 passes defensed before the team traded him to Philadelphia in August 2025 in exchange for defensive tackle Thomas Booker IV.
With the Eagles, Bennett saw action in 11 games and one start during the 2025 season, contributing seven tackles and a pass deflection.
He began the current campaign on injured reserve with a knee issue, had his practice window opened in October, and was then released.
Across 35 career games and 12 starts, he has totaled 65 tackles and 12 passes defended, numbers that suggest a player capable of contributing in a reserve role if elevated.
At 5-foot-11 and roughly 195 pounds, he brings the speed and ball skills that once made him a productive pass defender at the college level, though injuries have limited his consistency in the pros.
For a Panthers secondary already thin, the signing offers a low-cost chance to evaluate an experienced option who has started games in the league.
Practice-squad elevation remains available if further injuries strike or if Bennett impresses in limited work, though his recent knee recovery will factor into any immediate plans.
Carolina also hired former Illinois linebacker Dele Harding as a defensive assistant on the same day, adding another layer of support to a unit that has faced personnel challenges throughout the season.
Bennett’s path from Alabama high school prospect to NFL practice squad has included a standout bowl moment in the same city that now employs him, giving the move a quiet local resonance even as the team continues to manage its cornerback depth week to week.
