Carolina Panthers waive rookie running back Tiyon Evans

The Carolina Panthers brought their roster back down to 89 players on Friday by waiving rookie running back Tiyon Evans.

Evans, a former Tennessee player who transferred to Louisville, was an undrafted free agent coming out of the 2023 NFL Draft.

During the 2021 and 2022 collegiate seasons, Evans posted 525 rushing yards in each with six touchdowns apiece as well.

Following his release, the former Cardinals standout is free to sign with a new team at any time.

The Carolina Panthers have several other running backs on the roster, including former Eagles star Miles Sanders. Meanwhile, Chuba Hubbard solidified himself as the team’s RB2 over his first two years in the league. Hubbard had 466 rushing yards last season for Carolina, along with 171 yards receiving.

With 89 players on the roster, the Panthers can now pick up one new player to bring the total back to 90 for training camp.

Bryce Young named Panthers starting QB

Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich declared Bryce Young the winner of the team’s quarterback competition while speaking with reporters during training camp Wednesday.

Reich’s decision comes as no surprise, as the 2023 first overall pick out of Alabama was always expected to be the man under center from the start. Still, however, it’s a big accomplishment for Young, who took pride in officially being named QB1.

“I respect the coaches and I want to do whatever I can to play whatever role it is I’m called on to help the team,” Young said, via ESPN. “So [being called the starter] means a lot. For me, it’s making sure I take things day by day. I want to keep improving, keep growing.”

Expectations are high for the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner to succeed, although it’s nothing he isn’t familiar with coming from a program led by Nick Saban.

“Lofty expectations aren’t something new,” Young said. “I took the same approach in college. I’ve always taken the same approach. I’ve had experience taking the same approach to whatever expectations are. Whatever people are talking about, it is what it is.

“It’s stuff that I can’t control, and making sure that my teammates, my coaches, what we set in the building, that’s who I listen to. That’s the expectations that we come up with together and build together as a team, and sticking to that. I’ve had experience doing that in the past. So it’ll be obviously a different level of different challenges, but I’ll keep the same mindset.”

On3’s Nick Geddes contributed to this report.