CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Carolina Panthers wide receiver Stephen Hill's attempt to come back from a gruesome season-ending knee injury suffered last year in training camp has ended.
The 2012 second-round pick by the New York Jets was one of 11 players Carolina released Sunday as the Panthers move to reduce their roster to 75 by 4 p.m. ET Tuesday.
The Panthers' roster currently stands at 79.
Hill never got back to the level he was at before tearing the ACL, PCL, LCL and hamstring in his right leg early during the 2015 training camp.
“Coming into training camp, he was going to push for a starting job," Carolina wide receiver coach Ricky Proehl said when camp began this year, reflecting on last year's camp.
Hill spent this year’s camp pushing for a roster spot. But with the top five receivers basically set with Kelvin Benjamin, Devin Funchess, Ted Ginn Jr., Brenton Bersin and Philly Brown -- and with Damiere Byrd a roster possibility as a receiver/kick returner -- there really wasn’t a spot for Hill.
Proehl said at the start of this year's camp that Hill was “fighting an uphill battle" because of the injury and time missed.
“He’ll have to start in the middle of the pack and work his way up," Proehl said.
Hill never fully did. But because he was released now, he’ll have a better opportunity to hook up with another team with a week remaining in the preseason.
The Panthers also released Canadian tackle David Foucault, who started a primetime game in 2014 because of injuries.
Here’s the complete list of Carolina’s 11 cuts Sunday:
WR Stephen Hill
OT Willie Smith
OT David Foucault
LB Jared Barber
WR Avius Capers
DT Ray Drew
DE Tom Lally
WR Miles Shuler
