The Panthers will give former Wake Forest wide receiver Greg Dortch another chance to make an impact on the main roster, recalling the rookie wideout who returned two punts and two kicks against the Tennessee Titans in Week 9 only three weeks after sending him to the practice squad.

Dortch was first signed during the Panthers bye week from the Jets’ practice squad with the prevailing thought being that he would step in immediately and replace Ray-Ray McCloud as the main punt and kick returner, something he had excelled at both in college and in the preseason with New York, but Dortch was inactive Week 8 in San Francisco before making his NFL debut against the Titans, returning two punts for 11 yards and two kicks for 52 yards.

Dortch was inactive for the next game at Green Bay and was released and signed back to the practice squad that week. The Panthers have waived WR Donte Moncrief in a corresponding move – Moncrief played in three games, took 25 snaps and recorded zero catches in Carolina.

With the Panthers all but eliminated from playoff contention and players and coaches attempting to make an impact for the final four weeks of the season, it makes sense that a younger player like Dortch would benefit from playing time as opposed to a known quantity like Moncrief.

DJ Moore had been returning punts with DeAndrew White handling kickoffs the past few weeks, but that may be changing on Sunday in Atlanta.

Josh Klein on Twitter
Josh Klein
Editor-In-Chief at The Riot Report
Josh Klein is Editor-In-Chief of The Riot Report. His favorite Panther of all time is Chad Cota and he once AIM chatted with Kevin Greene. Follow Josh on Twitter @joshkleinrules.