Yes, NFL teams are allowed to work out free agents even if they’ve had a new head coach for only 24 or so hours. And that’s exactly what the Carolina Panthers did on Friday.
Per the league transaction wire, the Panthers worked out wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside.
Before his jump to the NFL, Arcega-Whiteside spent four years at Stanford University. After redshirting his first season there, he went on to reel in 135 receptions for 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns between 2016 and 2018.
A strong senior campaign, one that resulted in 1,059 receiving yards and 14 scores, helped boost his stock for the 2019 NFL draft—where he was selected in the second round by the Philadelphia Eagles. But, unfortunately, the 6-foot-2, 222-pound pass catcher wouldn’t pan out in the “City of Brotherly Love.”
From 2019 to 2021, Arcega-Whiteside amassed just 290 yards and one touchdown over 40 games for the Eagles. Philadelphia then traded him to the Seattle Seahawks on Aug. 15, 2022 in exchange for cornerback Umo Amadi.
After spending a few months on Seattle’s practice squad this past season, Arcega-Whiteside would be released on Nov. 1.
