Carolina Panthers cut two of team’s top performers in preseason ahead of Raiders game

The Carolina Panthers made three moves ahead of their Week 3 contest against the Las Vegas Raiders — which included letting go of two of the biggest winners of the preseason.

The team announced that it waived outside linebacker Eku Leota and released tight end Jordan Matthews on Tuesday afternoon. Carolina also signed Feleipe Franks, a tight end who’s played in both games for the Panthers, from the practice squad.

The moves with Leota and Matthews could come as a surprise to some.

Leota, after all, was one of the biggest winners of the preseason. He flashed as an outside linebacker in the team’s first three inconsequential contests — setting the edge and rushing the passer with consistency — and continued to do that through the team’s first two regular-season games. He had three tackles and a sack in the opener. (His one sack for minus-1 yard makes him the team’s sack leader through two weeks.)

Matthews, too, was a winner in the preseason. He led the team in receiving in the preseason, and he even notched a touchdown catch with the first team, punctuating Bryce Young’s only preseason possession with a touchdown catch. Matthews, too, has been an important leader in the locker room — his career in the NFL served as an inspiration for many players in the Panthers’ locker room.

The two cuts open the door for the Panthers (0-2) to sign someone and add him to the 53-man roster. Carolina takes on the Las Vegas Raiders at 4:05 p.m. Sunday on the road.