After starting off the first three weeks of the 2023 USFL season relatively unscathed, the Michigan Panthers have gone back-to-back weeks of seeing players transferred to the Injured Reserve List. Going into Week 5, this was no different as Michigan has placed Ron’Dell Carter on Injured Reserve while signing NFL veterans WR Kaden Davis and FS Kai Nacua to their 2023 squad.
Carter was a late signing in 2023, joining the team on March 22nd, after stints with multiple NFL teams bouncing between their active rosters and practice squads. Carter totaled 4 tackles and 1.0 sack his first year in the USFL. Look for DL Jamal Milan to possibly make an impact in Carter’s absence. The Panthers also have added Kai Nacua to their roster who can possibly fill in for Kiante Hardin who was a last second Inactive, prior to the Panthers taking on the Showboats in week 4. Nacua has appeared in 25 NFL games since coming out of college as an UDFA in 2017 totaling 19 Tackles and earning approx. 1.6 million dollars per spotrac.
The last transaction to the Panthers waiver wire this week was Kaden Davis being signed to replace Devin Ross, who was placed on injured reserve last week. Davis who was a UDFA in 2022 from NW Missouri State, bounced back and forth between the Denver Broncos Practice Squad last season before joining the USFL. Davis earned 122,500 last season which was his first as a professional season.
As it’s been discussed in nauseating detail amongst football writers, and coaches injuries are an inevitable part of the game and the Panthers despite being relatively healthy throughout the first three games of the season are beginning to feel the struggles of a limited roster. Regardless GM Steve Kazor and Head Coach Mike Nolan continue to find high level talent in an effort to keep Michigan extremely competitive in the Northern Division. With Six games left in the season look for Nacua and Davis to become impact players down the stretch hopefully helping Michigan make a playoff push in 2023.
