CHARLOTTE - The Panthers added cornerback Brandon Hogan, their fourth-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and defensive end Thomas Keiser to the 53-man roster Tuesday.
Hogan, a West Virginia product, spent the first half of the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list while recovering from knee surgery. Keiser, an undrafted rookie from Stanford, spent the first half of the season on the Panthers' practice squad.
To make room on the roster, Carolina placed linebacker Thomas Williams on injured reserve with a neck injury and waived defensive tackle Ronald Fields.
The Panthers have been anxious to see Hogan in action but have remained patient at the same time.
Hogan suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in West Virginia's 2010 regular season finale. He had hoped to recover in time for the beginning of the NFL regular season but needed more time to rehab.
"He could get up (and be active on game day) as early as this week, or it could be a week-to-week decision," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. "He's a kid who loves football, and he's just got a knack. He's got a knack to play corner, and he does have a knack as a returner. He's a very confident football player and a very talented football player."
Hogan intercepted seven passes and posted 171 tackles over his final three college seasons. A converted wide receiver, he also returned 22 punts and eight kickoffs for the Mountaineers and said Monday that he's gotten reps with both return units since taking part in his first practice nearly three weeks ago.
Hogan also said he's getting more and more comfortable with his defensive duties.
"I think I'm coming along fine," he said. "It took a little while, but I feel pretty confident in what I've got to do and everything that needs to take place."
Keiser initially survived the final roster cutdown with a strong preseason, only to be waived prior to the start of the regular season. At Stanford, he recorded 19.5 sacks and 31.5 tackles for loss while playing in 38 games with 27 starts.
Keiser is the first player the Panthers have promoted this season from their practice squad to the active roster, where he'll join fellow Stanford product Sione Fua, who is starting at defensive tackle as a rookie.
Keiser and Hogan replace a pair of players who combined for 22 tackles while playing the majority of the games for Carolina's defense this season.
Williams played in seven games with two starts and registered 11 tackles. He also recorded four passes defensed, including one that sealed Carolina's first win this season when he knocked away Jacksonville quarterback Blaine Gabbert's pass on the game's final play.
Fields, signed as a free agent on Sept. 14, played in six games and recorded 11 tackles and one quarterback pressure.
Williams hurt his neck in Carolina's last game Oct. 30 against Minnesota,
"It's just really hard to gauge how long it will take for him to be ready to come back and play, and you want to be careful with those type of injuries," Hurney said.
Additionally, the Panthers terminated linebacker Lawrence Wilson – a sixth-round draft pick in 2011 – from the practice squad. Carolina filled out the eight-man unit by signing linebacker Phillip Dillard and defensive tackle Jason Shirley.
Hurney said the Panthers worked out six or seven free agents Tuesday morning from a list they had assembled during the bye week.
