Long snapper Thomas Fletcher has been waived

JJ Jansen holds onto his position as both long snapper and longest tenured Panther

The Carolina Panthers have waived long snapper Thomas Fletcher, a 2021 sixth round draft pick who never played in a regular season game for the team.

Fletcher was waived in favor of long, long time veteran long snapper J.J. Jansen. Jansen, 36, has been a reliable presence at long snapper since joining the Panthers in 2009. He has been in the NFL since 2008. He has played in 209 games and been to one Pro Bowl (2013).

The team held on to both through last season by sending Fletcher to injured reserve before roster cut downs last season. It is hard to say if Fletcher didn’t show enough to the staff this year or if Jansen simply has proven to still be reliable. Either way, Fletcher’s biggest impact from the fans perspective remains his unforgettable draft day phone call from head coach Matt Rhule.