Panthers add three new faces to roster, including two former AAF players

Marty Hurney continues to pluck guys out of the defunct AAF as he shapes the offseason roster.

The Carolina Panthers continue to pick guys up out of the now defunct AAF. The team announced today that five new players have signed contracts to join the Panthers. Two of those players, Rashad Ross and Brandon Greene, were already reported to have joined the team. Today’s report reaffirms that news.

Joining them are defensive tackles T.J. Barnes and Destiny Vaeao along with tight end Thomas Duarte. Barnes and Duarte both took part in the AAF’s short lived campaign. Barnes and Vaeao both have NFL experience.

Duarte was selected in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL draft by the Miami Dolphins after being a top performer among his position group in nearly every combine drill. He could never latch on to the active roster before eventually being released. He spent some time on the Charger practice squad before joining the AAF, where he caught eight passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns.

Barnes originally made his way into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He didn’t make it out of camp as a rookie but was quickly scooped up by the Jets. He bounced around the league before disappearing off the NFL radar after the 2016 season. He’s appeared in 21 NFL games and logged six tackles, including one for a loss.

Vaeao is the rare recent Panthers signing that did not play in the AAF. He signed with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2016 and spent about two and a half seasons with the team (the man has a Super Bowl ring). In 33 career games, he’s amassed 27 tackles and three sacks.

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