CHARLOTTE – The Panthers have added tight end Bucky Hodges to the practice squad after releasing wide receiver Keyarris Garrett.
Hodges was recently waived by the Vikings, who selected him out of Virginia Tech in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-6, 257-pounder ended his college career with program records for catches (133), receiving yards (1,747) and receiving touchdowns (20).
Garrett, a former undrafted free agent from Tulsa, spent the entire 2016 season on Carolina's practice squad.
Thursday, the Panthers were able to add rookie kicker Harrison Butker to the practice squad. Carolina had to waive their seventh-round pick from the active roster Wednesday to make room for cornerback LaDarius Gunter.
"It is good insurance, but the other thing is you always have to look to the future," head coach Ron Rivera said of bringing back Butker. "This is a young guy who showed some really good growth. That's the thing we have to sit back and look at: If this guy continues to grow, what do you have?"
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