Panthers claim Corey Bullock from Ravens, waive Chandler Zavala in interior-line shuffle

The Carolina Panthers used Monday afternoon to reshape their offensive line depth chart, claiming Corey Bullock off waivers from the Baltimore Ravens. The transaction is part of the team’s ongoing effort to sort out its interior rotation as the preseason evaluation period pushes forward.

According to the team, Bullock is coming to Charlotte as a versatile interior piece with experience at center, a role that carries extra weight in training camp line work because it touches protection calls and the center-to-guard exchange in both pass and run schemes. The Panthers’ decision indicates they want additional flexibility inside beyond a single position label.

Carolina also made a corresponding roster move by waiving Chandler Zavala, a guard who the team described as a fourth-year player. The move removes a known veteran option from the active roster picture and opens the door for other interior candidates to earn snaps as the coaching staff continues to define its preferred combinations.

Together, the two moves suggest the Panthers are searching for reliability and fit in the middle of the line. Center and guard are often where scheme details show up fastest, especially with adjustments to protection calls, gap discipline, and how quickly a unit communicates in live reps.

For Bullock, the claim is an immediate opportunity to establish a clearer pathway to the Panthers’ offensive line group. With the Ravens, his background included work at the center position, and in Carolina’s case, that experience can be a stabilizing factor as the team looks to develop consistent interior play.

For Zavala, the waiver means his next NFL step will depend on whether another team claims him or he clears waivers and follows a different path into a practice-squad or offseason opportunity. Waiving a fourth-year guard also reflects how competitive interior spots can become when teams are balancing youth, development, and week-to-week performance in training camp.

The Panthers’ next focus will be how Bullock fits into the unit’s protection and run-fit responsibilities, and whether Carolina can lock in a dependable interior rotation. The early-season roster picture can change quickly, but this is the kind of transaction that often reveals what a team values most when games begin.

From a team-building standpoint, the move is also about maintaining depth. Even if the starters are set, injuries and performance swings during the preseason and early regular season can turn the interior line into a weekly priority for personnel decisions. Carolina’s front office has shown it is willing to act decisively when the roster picture tightens.