--The Panthers cut defensive tackles Tank Tyler and Corvey Irvin as part of their 22 roster moves Saturday.

Along with Tyler and Irvin, quarterback Hunter Cantwell, running backs Dantrell Savage and Josh Vaughan, fullback Rashawn Jackson, wide receivers Kenny Moore and Trent Guy, tight end Jamie Petrowski, offensive linemen Rob Petitti, Andrew Crummey and Ray Hisatake, defensive end Eric Moore, linebackers Quinton Culberson, Mortty Ivy and Sean Ware, and cornerbacks C.J. Wilson, R.J. Stanford and Brian Witherspoon were cut.

Also, the team placed guards Duke Robinson and C.J. Davis and safety Aaron Francisco on injured reserve.

The big cuts might have come at the same position as the Panthers chose to keep Nick Hayden and Andre Neblett, an undrafted rookie from Temple, over Tyler and Irvin. The Panthers gave up a fifth-round pick for Tyler last year and Irvin was a third-round pick in 2009 who never played a down here in a regular season game.

"We felt like that was one of the toughest decisions at that spot," general manager Marty Hurney said. "We felt like our competition and our level of play was very good. We thought that all of those guys could help us. We would have been very satisfied to keep everyone of them but you can't do that."

As for Neblett, Hurney said he was the surprise of training camp.

"He was a guy who really surprised us," Hurney said. "Every time he was in games he made plays. Every time he was in there he made something happen."

--The only draft pick cut was cornerback R.J. Stanford. The other nine made the roster, including quarterback Tony Pike and wide receiver David Gettis.

--Dwayne Jarrett, the much-maligned fourth-year receiver from USC, did make the roster along with five other receivers, including Charly Martin, who will fill the role of Wallace Wright. Martin will see action as the No. 3 or 4 receiver and play on special teams.

"I think that Dwayne last year really showed improvement as the year went on," GM Marty Hurney said. "I think it showed up in some games late last year. This spring and summer he's done everything you can ask for. He's been performing consistently in training camp practices and in games. He's gotten open a couple of times deep but it hasn't worked out. The thing that we always wanted to see in Dwayne was the consistency day-to-day and week-to-week and I think he's shown that. He's a big target with big hands. We kept him because we think he'll help. The receiver position is one you have to be patient with because it takes some time."

Although some fans have been calling for the Panthers to add a No. 2 receiver from outside the organization to help Steve Smith it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

In fact, Hurney seems content to stick with what they have. The plan is to develop the young receivers they drafted.

"A lot of people I've talked to in the fan base are excited about our youth and the energy it brings and watching the development," Hurney said. "Everybody has different opinions but we feel good about our team in general and the young players we have and their skill level. It all begins next week and we'll see how it goes."

--GM Marty Hurney said the decision to keep rookie Tony Pike over Hunter Cantwell as the No. 3 quarterback was a difficult one as well.

"Tony showed the other night a lot of the things we saw from him in college," Hurney said. "He has excellent feet and a great feel for pressure and a great ability to escape things in the pocket and make things happen. We feel like he's a quarterback who has the tools to play in this league and can be developed."

--The Panthers only kept eight offensive linemen after placing guards Duke Robinson (torn MCL) and C.J. Davis (concussion) on injured reserve, even though there's a chance tackle Jeff Otah might not play in the regular season opener Sunday against the New York Giants. Otah has been slow to recover after having his knee scoped over the summer.

One of the players they kept was guard Tim Duckworth, who was just acquired last week.

"He picked things up pretty quick," Hurney said.

--Carolina did keep kickoff specialist Todd Carter, although it will be interesting if the Panthers try to pursue Rhys Lloyd, who was cut Saturday by the Minnesota Vikings.

--Wide receiver Trent Guy, fullback Rashawn Jackson and linebacker Sean Ware are expected to be added to the practice squad if they clear waivers, according to their agents.

BY THE NUMBERS
0 -- Number of offensive touchdowns by the Panthers in the preseason through their first 42 possessions.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"It's not that I'm surprised because we see it in practice. We have guys that are fast, guys that run around and guys that play with good technique. So to me it's not a surprise. For the public it might be a surprise because a lot of people are probably thinking, wow, we didn't know they had this." -- Panthers CB Richard Marshall on the team's top-ranked defense in the preseason.

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